Alabama Basketball – As the 2024-25 season approaches, everyone is eager to see how the Alabama Crimson Tide basketball program shapes up. We’re ready to take the next step and consider ourselves as one of the best teams in the country after the historic run to the Final Four last year. With a filled senior-laden roster, in addition to a good recruiting class, the Tide is set to be one of the surviving beasts in the land. This time around, Alabama is going for an SEC title and a realistic chance of going for the national championship. For bettors looking at top-ranked betting sites, the Crimson Tide is a team to watch closely as they build on last year’s success.
Projected Starting Lineup: Alabama Basketball Experienced and Battle-Tested
Latrell Wrightsell Jr., previously raved about the three-pointer heavy game style of Alabama, joins Sears in the backcourt. This season, Wrightsell has previously shot the best career 3-point percentage of his career at 44.7%. Most importantly, he has performed the best from long rings. As the season progressed, it became clear that he would put on the shoulder and take on more responsibility in the offense designed by Oats.
Wings have been filled with Chris Youngblood, a guard and shooting transfer from South Florida. Youngblood, a clear deep threat, is also expected to stretch out defenses allowing guards to operate the team, especially, given the talented ones. His contribution as a leader in the dressing room will be significant, more so, with Alabama struggling to find Aaron Estrada’s replacement.
In the front court, the likes of Grant Nelson and Cliff Omoruyi will act as defensive stalwarts. Nelson, a forward with multiple skills, had his moment of brilliance last season when Alabama defeated North Carolina in 16. Omoruyi who is a tremendous shot blocker was the Big Ten leader in blocks last season and will be key on defense of the Tide permitting Nelson to take over a more rugged power forward’s role.
A Deep and Talented Bench
Mallette, another sharp-shooter, transferred from Pepperdine, which made Alabama’s rotation all the better. Mallette’s great shooting skills would perfectly suit Nate Oats’ system, whilst Dioubate brings defensive energy into the game with a spark coming off the bench. This role is expected for Dioubate to grow this year as there is some turnover in the front court players who were mostly part of last year’s team.
Also, another 6-11 sophomore Jarin Stevenson acts as a stretch forward and possesses good skill set too. Some of these alternatives include Stevenson, whose height coupled with three-point shooting skills comes in handy especially in some match-ups where Alabama’s offense has to be opened up. Reid, who is considered as the centerpiece of Alabama’s class is another freshman who is expected to fight for minutes on the court. Because of his defensive skills, Reid may have a place on the court early in the year if he is able to bring that same level of competitiveness to the collegiate game.
Freshmen Waiting in the Wings
While Alabama’s starting lineup and rotation are stacked with experienced players, their incoming freshmen class is one of the best in the country, ranked No. 2 nationally. Though they may not see significant playing time early in the season, Aidan Sherrell, Labaron Philon, and Naas Cunningham have the talent to push for minutes as the season progresses.
The Road Ahead: Expectations and Challenges
As those Alabama’s enter the 2024-25 season, there is enormity of anticipation from their staunchest followers. With several fifth year seniors and elite players, the Crimson Tide are the leading contenders to lift the SEC title and progress further in the NCAA. Yet again, for this run of success to be maintained, the superstars will have to deliver game after game and the role players must step up.
In this season that is about to commence, Alabama’s core along with its strong bench and even more promising freshmen will have the opportunity to position themselves among the most sought after contenders in sports betting preview lists. They must find a way to mesh the new players with the veterans if they are going to be able to match or surpass the success of last year. However, one thing is clear – Crimson Tide is certainly not a flash in the pan team. The team is here to chase titles for many coming seasons.
