After an iconic run to the Elite Eight, the Alabama Crimson Tide’s season ended with an unfortunate 89–82 loss to Duke. The Crimson Tide did not win an SEC title or get a Final Four ticket, but it was not all bad in Tuscaloosa.
The Crimson Tide ended with 28 wins and back-to-back Elite Eight runs, building a 12–3 home record and one of the best two-year spans in program history. Alabama had a season to be proud of, even if the big wins slipped through their fingers. And now, HC Nate Oats’ squad has reset and sent out a strong message.
Nate Oats and Alabama Fire Up 2025-26 Season With Sneak Peek
Last week, the Alabama Crimson Tide took to X and posted a new hype video, teasing the upcoming 2025-26 basketball season. The caption simply read, “We Back.” The video showed a mix of the new crimson jerseys, quick cuts, and sweat-soaked scrimmages.
We Back. pic.twitter.com/bSsqZf9ofg
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) June 6, 2025
The short video also showed many new faces. Twelve scholarship players were seen on screen, including four transfers, three highly rated freshmen, and five returners from last year’s crew. It is evident that a lot has changed, but Oats is not hiding it. So, who are the new names?
First up, there is Jalil Bethea, a McDonald’s All-American transfer from Miami. Then there’s 6’9″ Taylor Bol Bowen from Florida State and Keitenn Bristow, the Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, and Noah Williamson, the Patriot League Player of the Year. The list does not end there, though.
On the freshman front, Alabama has London Jemison, perhaps one of the most talked-about names leading up to the 2025-26 season. There’s also Davion Hannah, a four-star sniper from Link Academy. Amari Allen, the wing who had everyone looking at him last season, also joins the Tide.
This recruiting class has been ranked No. 4 nationally and No.1 in the SEC by On3. However, this is not the offseason headliner.
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‘Bama veteran Labaron Philon is staying put for another season. The SEC Freshman of the Year signed up for the 2025 NBA Draft, then pulled out before the deadline. Philon averaged 10.4 points and 3.8 assists per game last season. He is a guaranteed floor general for the Crimson Tide.
Philon will be joined by familiar faces like sharpshooter Aden Holloway, big man Aiden Sherrell, and a now-healthy Latrell Wrightsell Jr. While it is true that Clifford Omoruyi and Chris Youngblood are gone, the new team is looking just as good. And this training montage is a simple-but-strong statement from Oats’ squad.
So, it is official, Alabama’s back. The squad is deeper, younger, and just a little bit meaner. Now the real question is this: Is this squad enough to break through to the Final Four this time?
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