Alabama basketball commit Anderson Diaz is reclassifying from the 2027 class and will join the Crimson Tide’s 2026-27 roster.
Alabama assistant coach Preston Murphy teased an AI cartoon video on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday of Diaz traveling to UA’s new practice facility, and after shaking hands with Murphy and head coach Nate Oats, Diaz’s character said, “Do you guys have room for one more?”
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Diaz committed to the Crimson Tide on May 21, and 247 Sports’ Travis Branham reported that “a potential reclassification to 2026 remains a possibility worth monitoring.”
Diaz chose Alabama over a large variety of offers: Arkansas, Auburn, Cincinnati, Florida State, Illinois, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, UCLA, Florida A&M, Hampton, Fordham, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John’s and Villanova.
The 6-foot-1, 181-pounder was ranked as the No. 29 prospect nationally, the No. 6 point guard and the No. 4 player in the state of Georgia at the time of his commitment,per the 247 Sports Composite. His highest placement comes from the ESPN100, where he is ranked 16th in the class.
Originally from the Bronx in New York, Diaz is a member of the Overtime Elite league. During 16 games (15 starts) of the 2025-26 season with the Cold Hearts, he averaged 17.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 28.6 minutes per contest. Diaz shot 43.2 percent from the field, 29.9 percent from deep and 75.5 percent from the free-throw line.
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Diaz saved his best game for last, as he dropped 36 points on 12 of 20 from the field, including 4 of 10 from deep, six rebounds, eight assists and three steals in a 96-78 loss to FaZe.
The Crimson Tide now has five freshmen on the 2026-27 roster. Here’s what Oats said about the four who signed with Alabama on June 4.
“Qayden Samuels is an electric scorer and has proven himself to be one of the best scorers in the country. Qayden is a very good athlete, who plays above the rim and makes good plays with the ball in his hands. We are elated to sign one of the most sought-after players in the country.”
“Tarris Bouie is a versatile scorer who is capable of scoring due to his ability to move very well across the court. He is really good defensively with quick hands and is a great lateral and vertical athlete. He is a proven scorer, who is averaging nearly 30 points a game at SPIRE and has shown the ability to put up 40 or 50 points a game. We are thrilled to welcome Tarris and his family to Tuscaloosa.”
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“Jaxon [Richardson] was arguably the best high school athlete in the country and has developed his skill throughout his high school career, turning himself in to a very good basketball player. Jaxon is extremely skilled and has the ability to be an immediate impact player and affect both sides of the ball.”
“Coming out of high school, Cole [Cloer] proved during EYBL that he was one of the best scorers in the country. Cole has a great IQ and feel for the game and as a result, he has won at every level he has played at.”
Alabama’s 2026-27 Roster as of July 7
G Aden Holloway (pending legal matter)
G Preston Murphy Jr. (returning senior)
G Anderson Diaz (freshman)
W Jaxon Richardson (freshman)
W Qayden Samuels (freshman)
W Tarris Bouie (freshman)
F Amari Allen (returning sophomore)
F London Jemison (returning sophomore)
F Keitenn Bristow (returning junior *pending redshirt*)
F Cole Cloer (NC State transfer)
F Jamarion Davis-Fleming (Mississippi State transfer)
C/F Brandon Garrison (Kentucky transfer)
C/F Drew Fielder (Boise State transfer)
C Collins Onyejiaka (returning sophomore *pending redshirt*)
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BamaCentral is keeping track of the Crimson Tide’s outgoing and incoming players and coachesright hereahead of next season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/alabama as Alabama Basketball Commit Reclassifying, Joining 2026-27 Roster.
