After a 2023-24 season that included Alabama’s first appearance in an NCAA Final Four, head coach Nate Oats and staff brought in talented players to add to an already-experienced roster.
Alabama basketball will feature eight new faces in the 2024-25 season, four of them talented freshmen for whom Oats won major recruiting battles, staving off traditional blue-blood programs. Oats landed the commitments of two 5-star forwards, Derrion Reid and Aiden Sherrell, to pair with coveted 4-star prospects Labaron Philon and Naas Cunningham.
In a press conference at SEC media day in October, Oats said Reid and Sherrell both exceeded expectations in practices.
“Derrion Reid, when he’s been healthy, he’s been really good,” Oats said. “His IQ is really high. He’s going to contribute. He’s smart. He’s athletic. He’s got great size. Aiden Sherrell has been maybe better than what we thought.”
Reid and Sherrell both enter their freshman season at Alabama as two of the program’s highest-rated recruits, per 247 Sports. In a segment on “Hey Coach,” Oats said he believes that Sherrell’s size can impact rim protection, an area where the Crimson Tide struggled for much of last season.
Oats said at the postgame press conference after taking down the University of North Carolina Asheville that he believes that Reid’s ability to be tough and physical and shoot the ball will impact the Crimson Tide’s offense. Reid averaged 17.5 points per game on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League circuit in 2023 and has a versatile scoring ability.
Oats also expressed his excitement about Philon’s performance. With senior guard Chris Youngblood expected to be sidelined until the start of SEC play with an ankle injury, Philon is poised to take on a larger role.
“He’s been great,” Oats said. “He’s been really good on both sides of the ball. He’s pushing our veteran guards, making them better every day in practice. And he’s going to get minutes, some games significant minutes.”
Philon, a Mobile native, was named Alabama Class 7A Player of the Year as a sophomore, leading Baker High School to a state runner-up finish before finishing his high school career at Link Academy in Branson, Missouri.
In Alabama’s exhibition victory over the Memphis Tigers on Oct. 28, Philon contributed 17 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Following the game, Philon spoke to the press about his first experiences playing in his home state for Alabama.
“It’s been fun playing around,” Philon said, adding that he has enjoyed having his family able to “come in every game” and he appreciates “being able to trust a good coach.” These reasons were a big part of why Philon decided to come back to his home state.
Compared to his freshman counterparts, Cunningham likely will have to work harder to receive significant playing time, as there are many players who play his position. However, this does not mean Cunningham does not possess the tools to make an impact for the Crimson Tide.
Cunningham was previously ranked as the top recruit in his class across multiple sites as a high school sophomore. Despite struggles in his final two high school seasons, he remained an intriguing prospect for top programs.
Jamie Shaw, national recruiting analyst for On3, said he believes Cunningham’s key to becoming a star rests on his ability to be consistent, an issue that has plagued him much of the last two seasons.
“While the tools are obvious, he disappears for long stretches, often,” Shaw said. “His flashes will need to start turning into consistency and production, but his flashes can be impressive, and his upside is high.”
Reid, Sherrell, Philon and Cunningham will all look to make instant impacts for Alabama this week. Alabama hosts Arkansas State at Coleman Coliseum on Friday at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
