The transfer portal gives and takes away. It can give your team enough players to field a Final Four team, and it can take away talented players to prevent your team from reaching the Final Four.
The one takeaway everyone needs to remember about the transfer portal is that no team, coach, conference, or player is immune to it, especially when this much money is changing hands.
The Alabama Crimson Tide, who most recently made an Elite Eight, were the latest victims in the transfer portal when rotation piece Jarin Stevenson decided to enter the transfer portal. Stevenson entered the portal with a “Do Not Contact" tag, which could mean the player has already silently committed elsewhere.
Alabama big man Jarin Stevenson has entered the transfer portal with a "Do Not Contact" tag, per a @247Sports source.
— Travis Branham (@TravisBranham_) April 9, 2025
Former four-star recruit.https://t.co/eZEM7tDYVI
Stevenson will be a significant loss for Alabama, who must further re-tool their front court. Coach Oats went into the offseason knowing he had to replace starter Grant Nelson and did that with Noah Williamson from Bucknell.
Oats didn't expect to lose two key pieces of this frontcourt rotation, Mouhamed Dioubate and Stevenson. Those two players were expected to have a much bigger role in the offense this season. Not to worry, though. In true coach Oats fashion, he has been able to acquire more talent in the transfer portal to replace these players.
Taylor Bol Bowen, a transfer from Florida State, is going to step in and play a huge role for the Tide next year. Bol Bowen is a 6'10" big man who can run the rim, shoot threes at over 40%, get to the line, and protect the rim on defense. He is the perfect player for coach Oats, and Alabama won't lose the rim protection that graduating big man Cliff Omoruyi provided.
Oats gets better every year, and with the new rules in college basketball, he can add anyone he wants to the roster through free agency. The Tide are still adding or subtracting from the roster, and there are still depth pieces that need to be figured out.
Alabama will be okay losing Dioubate and Stevenson. The one thing that coach Oats hopes won't happen again is losing those players to another SEC school and one that happens to be a rival. Dioubate committed to Kentucky.
Stevenson just entered the portal, and the dead period is one more day. When the dead period ends, a clearer picture of his recruitment will emerge. Here's hoping that he doesn't join another SEC program.
Playing at Alabama will be advantageous to Stevenson in the transfer portal. He will have a lot of offers and likely an opportunity to start and reach his ceiling. The Tide are better with their transfer pickups. Stevenson will go to a better situation in the transfer portal. It's a win for everyone.