On Wednesday, Alabama basketball gained another player through the transfer portal when West Virginia forward Mohamed Wague announced that he would play for the Crimson Tide next season, as reported by Joe Tipton of On3.
This announcement comes a little over a week after Grant Nelson of North Dakota State committed to the Crimson Tide through the transfer portal.
With the loss of Noah Clowney and Charles Bediako, Nate Oats and staff are looking to add more size in the frontcourt with Wague and Nelson measuring at 6 feet, 10 inches and 6 feet, 11 inches respectively.
Wague did not have the best season last year numbers-wise, averaging just 4.3 points per game and 3.1 rebounds. These statistics do not necessarily reflect how impactful a player he can be, however. His inside scoring ability as well as his sheer physical presence in the paint will be a very valuable addition to Nate Oats’ new-look frontcourt.
Nelson is coming off a very productive season at North Dakota state, where he averaged 17.9 points per game and 9.3 rebounds. He initially entered his name into the 2023 NBA draft, but later withdrew to play another season at the college level. He is very skilled for his size, which enables him to contribute in a variety of ways on both offense and defense.
The Crimson Tide hasn’t just added talent in the frontcourt, however, as back in April the team was able to land guards Aaron Estrada and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. through the transfer portal.
Estrada is a great offensive addition, averaging 20.2 points per game and shooting over 36% from long range last year at Hofstra. Wrightsell is also a very valuable offensive addition, as he averaged over 16 points per game last season and shot over 38% from long range.
The transfer portal has provided a good amount of talent for the Crimson Tide this offseason, but it has also taken away a few talented guards.
Most notably, guard Jahvon Quinerly announced in late June that he was entering his name into the transfer portal to play his final college season elsewhere. This is a major blow for the Tide, as Quinerly was the longest-tenured player on the team. His departure will leave the Tide lacking some valuable leadership and experience.
“I can’t say enough about Alabama Basketball,” Quinerly wrote in an Instagram post. “My team, the staff and all my Bama fans have been the greatest.”
Additionally, former five-star recruit Jaden Bradley announced in early April that he was entering the transfer portal after just one season with the Tide.
Overall, the Tide has done a good job of making up for the talent lost this offseason. This upcoming season will be an exciting one, and it’s going to be interesting to see just how special these incoming players can be in a program as well-coached as Alabama’s.
