Since being hired on March 27, 2019, head coach Nate Oats has continually lifted Alabama men’s basketball to unprecedented heights.
With SEC championships and second-weekend NCAA tournament appearances becoming the norm, here is a ranking of the winningest seven-season stretch in program history.
No. 7: 2019-20
With little time to retool the roster after taking over for Avery Johnson, Oats’ inaugural season ended with a mediocre 16-15 overall record and an 8-10 record in SEC play, landing it at the bottom of this ranking.
The squad’s lack of interior size hurt them defensively as they finished 114th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom. Despite the squad’s shortcomings, positive signs still emerged.
Sophomore guard Kira Lewis Jr. helped establish the elite guard play that is now synonymous with Alabama basketball. Lewis earned All-SEC First team honors after averaging 18.5 PPG, 5.2 APG, 4.8 RPG and 1.8 SPG.
Additionally, Oats secured a pair of signature home victories against then-No. 4 Auburn and No. 25 LSU. Against LSU, junior forward Herb Jones iced the game with a pair of one-handed free throws, creating an iconic moment that perfectly embodies blue-collar basketball.
No. 6: 2021-22
Year three under Oats was a rollercoaster. After climbing as high as sixth in the Associated Press Poll in nonconference play following ranked wins over Gonzaga and Houston, the Crimson Tide tapered off down the stretch, finishing 19-14 with first-round exits in the SEC and NCAA tournaments.
Defensive inconsistencies also plagued this Alabama squad. A thin frontcourt led by freshman Charles Bediako and Furman transfer Noah Gurley struggled with the adjustment to SEC physicality.
Additionally, the guard tandem of JD Davison and Jahvon Quinerly was oftentimes inefficient, combining for nearly six turnovers per game and shooting less than 30% from beyond the arc.
Despite a handful of puzzling losses, the 2021-22 team still proved important. It achieved consecutive NCAA tournament berths, a first for Alabama in fifteen seasons, and helped develop key contributors for next season’s wildly successful squad.
No. 5: 2025-26
Having advanced to the Sweet 16 and finished 25-10 overall, last season’s squad slotting in at number five is a testament to the incredible consistency of Crimson Tide hoops under Oats.
In spite of season-long defensive rebounding struggles and nagging injury issues, the team was ranked in the AP Top 25 in all but two polls, making it arguably one of Oats’ best coaching jobs.
The Crimson Tide compensated for a serious lack of frontcourt depth by two primary means: Aiden Sherrell’s emergence and an elite backcourt.
Sherrell, statistically, had the best season of any center in the Oats era. His 11.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 2.2 BPG carried Alabama’s frontcourt while Noah Williamson struggled and others sat with injuries.
Alabama also boasted exceptional backcourt play. Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway were both All-SEC selections, and freshman wing Amari Allen emerged as a smooth three-level scorer with elite rebounding ability.
While last year’s team did not accumulate as much hardware as other Oats squads, it still remained nationally elite despite significant personnel deficiencies.
No. 4: 2020-21
With a 26-7 overall record, SEC regular season and tournament championships, and the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance since 2004, Oats’ second season was transformative.
After early-season losses to Stanford and Western Kentucky, the Crimson Tide dominated a weaker SEC behind an elite defense led by Herb Jones, who earned SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors.
The trio of Quinerly, Jaden Shackleford and John Petty also provided explosive perimeter shooting. In a memorable mid-season performance, Alabama knocked down a then-SEC record 23 three-pointers in a 105-75 rout against LSU.
Despite a down year for the SEC and a disappointing NCAA tournament loss to an 11-seed UCLA, this team garnered national attention for Oats’ system, helping to kickstart an incredible run for the program.
No. 3: 2023-24
Oats’ fifth team at Alabama will remain cemented in history for being the school’s first to reach the Final Four. Led by Herculean efforts from Mark Sears and Grant Nelson, the Crimson Tide defeated Charleston, Grand Canyon, No. 1-seeded North Carolina and Clemson en route to its historic achievement.
While electric offensively, the defensive effort left much to be desired. The guard tandem of Sears and Aaron Estrada struggled mightily defending the perimeter, and physically underdeveloped freshmen like Sam Walters and Jarin Stevenson were forced into contributing roles.
Giving up as many as 117 points to Kentucky in a Feb. 24 matchup, Alabama worked around its deficiencies by outscoring opponents. Sears orchestrated the second most efficient offense in the country by averaging 21.5 PPG on his way to becoming a consensus All-American.
While not the most balanced team Oats has had, the 2023-24 squad turned it up defensively when it mattered most, enabling the greatest tournament run in program history.
No. 2: 2024-25
Arguably Oats’ most undervalued team due to high pre-season expectations, the 2024-25 squad accumulated an impressive 28-9 record while giving Alabama its first consecutive Elite Eight appearances.
Ranked top five in offensive efficiency and top 30 in defensive efficiency, the veteran-laden squad was elite due to balance on both ends of the floor. Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi and senior forward Grant Nelson thrived offensively out of the pick-and-roll and defensively in rim protection.
Additionally, the Crimson Tide’s deep group of wings, headlined by Chris Youngblood, provided length on the perimeter that helped mask the defensive limitations of smaller, offense-oriented guards like Sears and Aden Holloway.
Whether it was raining down 113 points and 25 three-pointers against BYU or holding Saint Mary’s to a stingy 66 points, the team consistently found ways to win against high-level competition through veteran leadership and complementary basketball.
No. 1: 2022-23
Easily the most balanced team of the Oats era, it should come as no surprise that the 2022-23 squad takes the No. 1 spot.
Ranking 20th and third in offensive and defensive efficiency, respectively, the Brandon Miller-led Crimson Tide cruised to a 31-6 overall record, SEC regular season and tournament championships, and the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
An elite freshman class is what made this team special. Miller earned SEC Player of the Year and unanimous All-American honors while averaging 18.8 PPG and 8.2 RPG. Forward Noah Clowney, another one-and-done first-round pick, thrived in a stretch-big role while Rylan Griffen and Jaden Bradley also provided meaningful contributions.
Beyond just winning games, the team’s stifling interior defense and frenetic tempo gave them the ability to completely dominate opponents. In SEC play alone, the Crimson Tide beat LSU, Vanderbilt and Georgia by at least 40 points apiece.
If not for an untimely groin injury to its star player and a red-hot San Diego State team in the Sweet Sixteen, Alabama could have made a national championship run.
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