An unusually quiet first week of the NCAA transfer portal may indicate a change in roster-building philosophy under head coach Nate Oats.
Last offseason, the Crimson Tide had three of its four transfer additions committed by April 6. Oats and his staff appear to be taking a slower approach this offseason, as only two players, Kentucky forward Brandon Garrison and Mississippi State forward Jamarion Davis-Fleming, have committed to Alabama.
More movement is expected in the coming weeks as Alabama looks to replace valuable production lost to the NBA draft, the transfer portal and graduation.
Departures
Three Alabama players have chosen to enter the transfer portal thus far.
Taylor Bol Bowen was the Crimson Tide’s first official entry. The junior forward transferred to Alabama last offseason after two years at Florida State. This season, he started in 11 games, averaging 6.3 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 19 minutes. Weighing just 202 pounds at 6 feet, 10 inches tall, Bol Bowen’s slight frame was an issue against teams with physically imposing frontcourts. After the Sweet 16 loss to Michigan, Oats commented on rebounding struggles at the four spot, saying, “We know we got to get bigger.”
Jalil Bethea, a sophomore guard who first played at Miami before heading to Tuscaloosa, has committed to play at Pittsburgh next year. Despite his five-star pedigree coming out of high school, Bethea struggled to find consistent playing time in his lone season at Alabama.
Most notably, starting center Aiden Sherrell has also opted to play elsewhere next season. After averaging 11.2 PPG and 6.2 RPG as a sophomore, Sherrell is one of the most sought-after transfer prospects and is garnering heavy interest from schools like Michigan State, Indiana and LSU.
Additions
On Sunday, forward Brandon Garrison announced his commitment to Alabama. The 6-foot-10-inch, 245-pound junior made previous stops at Oklahoma State and Kentucky. In 2025, Garrison appeared in every game for the Wildcats, averaging 4.7 PPG and 4.1 RPG in just over 16 minutes per game.
The Oklahoma City native is a high-level athlete, and despite inconsistencies, he has flashed high potential. He scored 20 points on 7-8 shooting against Oklahoma in February, as well as 17 points against LSU in the first round of the SEC Tournament.
Garrison projects to occupy the “dunker” role in Oats’ offense, and his athleticism and passing ability give him the versatility to play both the four and five spots. He will be a crucial piece in retooling the frontcourt following the departures of Sherrell and senior Noah Williamson.
Alabama added additional frontcourt depth on Wednesday when forward Jamarion Davis-Fleming announced his commitment. The 6-foot-10-inch, 240-pound forward was the No. 1 recruit in the state of Mississippi for the 2025 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.
As a true freshman at Mississippi State, Davis-Fleming flashed defensive and rebounding potential, averaging 3.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 1.3 BPG. He also has a family connection to the program. His brother, Javian, played two seasons in Tuscaloosa and averaged 6.0 PPG and 3.8 RPG in Oats’ first season as head coach.
Additional targets
Despite the lack of additions, Alabama has visited with and hosted visits for several uncommitted portal targets.
Over the weekend, Oats and the staff brought in Tennessee forward Cade Phillips on a visit. The 6-foot-9-inch, 221-pound junior, and Jacksonville, Alabama, native, averaged 3.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 16.9 MPG before suffering a torn labrum 10 games into the season.
The former Volunteer has a family legacy of Alabama athletes. His father, John David Phillips, and uncle, Brodie Croyle, both played quarterback for Alabama. His mother, Reagan Phillips, played basketball for the Crimson Tide.
Phillips would bolster depth and rebounding ability in Alabama’s frontcourt. He plans to take additional visits before announcing his commitment.
Additionally, Oats and assistant coach Preston Murphy flew on Monday to visit in person with Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman.
Freeman is one of the most highly coveted forwards in the portal, as he averaged 16.5 PPG and 7.2 RPG in his sophomore season for the Orange. He thrives in transition opportunities and provides quality length and active hands as a perimeter defender. Freeman has visits lined up with Kentucky and Connecticut before he plans on making a decision.
Finally, Alabama has been linked to multiple guards as it searches for a second lead ball-handler to place alongside Aden Holloway, assuming his legal issues are resolved.
Joe Tipton and Pete Nakos of On3 have reported mutual interest between Alabama and Cole Cloer (NC State), Camren Hunter (Central Arkansas), Jasper Johnson (Kentucky), John Blackwell (Wisconsin), and Alex Wilkins (Furman).
Additional targets are still expected to emerge as the Crimson Tide sifts through over 2,000 transfer prospects to build its roster for the 2026-27 season.
