Alabama enters the season with one of the best backcourts in the nation after Labaron Philon opted to return to school despite receiving plenty of NBA Draft buzz. Not a lot of people are talking about the Tide as a true title contender, but they should be.
Alabama’s New Look Still Packs a Punch
Bama lost Mark Sears, Grant Nelson, and Chris Youngblood to graduation, while Jarin Stevenson, Mo Dioubate, and Derrion Reid left in the portal. That’s a lot of production to replace, especially considering Sears was a First-Team All-American who averaged 18.6 points per game. Yet, interestingly enough, Alabama was statistically a better offense with him off the floor.
The adjusted offensive rating with Sears on the court was 127.3, which jumped to 136.6 in lineups without him. Their effective field goal percentage rose from 55.2% to 62%, and turnovers went down. While the sample size is smaller, it’s a sign that Philon could thrive as the lead guard.
Labaron Philon’s Time to Shine
Philon ranks No. 5 on EvanMiya’s list of preseason top 10 players and recently posted 28 points on 8-for-12 shooting in a scrimmage against Florida State. He connected on three triples and showed major improvement finishing through contact.
Last season, Philon excelled as a secondary creator, posting a 2.12 assist-to-turnover ratio. His main flaw was a 26.3% turnover rate as a pick-and-roll ball handler, but early signs show improvement. His assist rate jumped from 22.6% with Sears on the court to 29.6% without, suggesting he’s ready to handle a bigger load.
According to CBS Sports’ Isaac Trotter, Alabama was 20-3 when scoring at least 15 transition points last year. That recipe won’t change with Philon now running the show.
Guards Galore and Relentless Pace
Aden Holloway and Philon form one of the top backcourts in college basketball. KenPom projects Alabama to again lead the nation in tempo, and Holloway’s presence makes that even more dangerous. Lineups with him featured a 48.5% three-point attempt rate. He ranked fourth in the SEC in attempts per 40 minutes and shot 41.2% from deep.
Depth makes Alabama even scarier. Latrell Wrightsell and Houston Mallette are back from injuries, forming a lethal trio with Philon and Holloway. Wrightsell shot 44.7% from three in 2023–24, and Mallette hit 41.5% at Pepperdine. As a team, Alabama shot 35.3% from three last season and should easily surpass that mark.
Frontcourt Flexibility Could Decide the Ceiling
Miami transfer Jalil Bethea and freshman Davion Hannah round out a talented guard room, but the real X-factor is the frontcourt. Aidan Sherrell looks ready for a breakout after strong late-season flashes and is expected to start alongside Florida State transfer Taylor Bol Bowen.
Bol Bowen is a 6’10 forward who shot 41.4% from three and averaged 2.5 combined steals and blocks per game. His two-way skill set gives Alabama lineup flexibility, allowing for spacing-heavy or big, defensive lineups.
Bucknell transfer Noah Williamson adds more shooting from the post after hitting 32% from three last season, while 6’10 wing Keitenn Bristow provides another stretch option after earning WAC Rookie of the Year honors at Tarleton State.
Depth, Shooting, and the Nate Oats Formula
Alabama will once again take and make a ton of threes, with Nate Oats loading his roster with shooters and athletic wings who fit his up-tempo system. Freshmen London Jemison and Amari Allen are also in the mix on the wing. Both are 6’8 with the length and energy to make early contributions, especially defensively.
The questions remain on defense and rebounding, but Oats has proven his system works. KenPom currently ranks Alabama at No. 23 nationally, but with Philon’s breakout potential, elite spacing, and improved health, that ranking feels far too low.
If this team stays healthy and connected, Alabama has all the tools to shock people once again — and maybe make its deepest March run yet under Nate Oats.