Tattooed across the left arm of Alabama guard Houston Mallette is the word “agape.” Appearing in original Greek manuscripts of the New Testament of the Bible, agape is described as an unconditional, sacrificial love that Christians believe represents God’s love for his creation.
“It’s a word I live my life by,” Mallette said. “We all love each other.”
Mallette and fellow veteran guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. set the example for everyone else, showing their love for their teammates on and off the court.
Team chaplain Scotty Hollins said that the two Crimson Tide players led a late season Bible study, detailing their faith with their teammates.
“None of us wanted that night to end,” Hollins said. “They were just sharing their hearts and talking about their gratitude for what God had done and what God was doing through their lives and through our team.”
Assistant coach Preston Murphy and walk-on Klark James were also integral in the growth of the study, and Hollins said that freshman Davion Hannah “gave his life to the Lord” this year.
“Every Thursday, when we met throughout the year, we would just talk,” Mallette said. “It’s helped keep me centered. It’s kept Trelly [Wrightsell] centered. It’s kept everybody on the team centered.”
Mallette and Wrightsell talked about how close the 2025 team was after the season ended in a Sweet 16 loss to one-seeded Michigan. They both spoke on agape, but also the team’s mudita.
“We love each other,” Mallette said. “We have vicarious joy for each other’s success as if it were our own. That’s our superpower. I think that’s what makes the difference within our team.”
The bond this Alabama team shared through their faith and love for one another carried them through adversity all season — 14 different starting lineups, injuries holding key players out, and outside scrutiny surrounded the program — yet they never wavered.
Perhaps the time that displayed this best was their final moments together as a team after the Michigan loss. Walking out to the podium to answer questions for their final time in an Alabama uniform, it was easy to see where Mallette, Wrightsell and Philon had been crying.
They cared so deeply for each other that even potential returners, such as freshman forward Amari Allen, were distraught to see the season come to an end. Mallette even wore his jersey back to Tuscaloosa the following day, trying to hold on to his final moments in college.
“I’m sad because I never want to take off this Crimson Tide jersey,” Mallette said.
Fans and head coach Nate Oats alike will look to next season, excited for the future of Crimson Tide men’s basketball. While there may be more talented teams, it will be hard for them to replicate the agape the 2025 team shared.
