At the onset, Alabama is coming off its first No.1 seed and final four in school history. The next College basketball betting step for head coach Nate Oats is ascending to the mountain’s top. At the beginning is the roster. The Tide has what probably is the deepest roster in the country. Cause by some key transfers and a top recruiting class added to a couple of big-time returners. The 13 players on the roster provide Oats with more options. Especially compared to a large portion of the rest of the 363 teams in Division I.
2024-25 Alabama Crimson Tide Basketball Preview
| Alabama Crimson Tide | Odds |
|---|---|
| National Championship: | +1200 |
2024-25 Alabama Crimson Tide Basketball Outlook
Naturally, people were rightfully excited when Mark Sears and Grant Nelson announced they were returning to Alabama this sportsbook season. Those two epitomize the picture of the Alabama offense. To illuminate, they shoot layups and three-pointers. Sears shot 43.6% from deep, and Nelson was just as efficient inside, shooting 61% on his two-point attempts. Also, the other returning starter is senior guard Latrell Wrightsell. He shot an even better 44% from deep.
Over the past two seasons, many boxes have been checked off in the history books of Alabama basketball. To show, in 2023, the Tide earned their first-ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Last year, they reached the elite eight for the second time. And then the final four were the first in the program’s history. The final box to be checked for Nate Oats and his team is to reach the championship itself.
That’s two Sweet Sixteens and a Final Four in five seasons for Oats in Tuscaloosa. And coming off that first-ever final four, Tide is ready to roll into next season for another attempt at that brass ring. Of great concern is that the Crimson Tide lost three key pieces to their rotation in the offseason. Namely, Rylan Griffen and Nick Pringle transferred, and Aaron Estrada graduated. But plenty of that veteran foundation returns.
Accordingly, that veteran foundation and leadership has Alabama looking onward and upward. Even returning a strong foundation isn’t enough in today’s world. Especially at the upper levels of the NCAABB betting board. In comparison, all successful teams must make changes if they want to keep up with the Joneses, and that’s what Alabama has done.
But, those veterans aren’t the only reason for such optimism. The Crimson Tide brings on board a top-10 transfer class and the No. 2 recruiting class in the country, according to top recruiting services. Adding four top-45 recruits to that foundation adds to the excitement surrounding the program heading into the season. At the end of the year, gamblers ask if the Tide is at an all-time high or a disappointing low.
With perhaps the deepest roster in college basketball, Alabama made sure they’ll have plenty of options on any given night. Also, they ensured they had a roster that should play to the strengths that made them a success last season. The Tide has a team that can deliver the first national title in school history.
Of course, Alabama will never be an elite defense. But with such an elite offense, they don’t have to be. An adequately improved defense paired with that offense makes them a national title contender.