Projecting Alabama basketball’s depth chart heading into the summer

Labaron Philon’s surprise decision to withdraw from the NBA Draft last week serves as a significant boost to the Crimson Tide. The sophomore was projected as a late first-round pick in this month’s draft. Instead, he will headline an Alabama roster that now appears suited to contend amongst the top powers in college basketball.

Following Philon’s return, Alabama has 12 scholarship players on its roster, one below the NCAA limit. There’s a possibility the impending House vs. NCAA settlement will bump that limit to 15. However, at the moment, Alabama doesn’t appear likely to reach that limit for the coming season, regardless of the outcome.

Philon is the fifth returning player from last year’s Elite Eight team. The Tide also brings back junior guard Aden Holloway and sophomore center Aiden Sherrell, who both played key roles off the bench last season. Meanwhile, graduate guards Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and Houston Mallette will be back after being granted medical redshirts.

Alabama made four transfer additions, bringing in Miami guard Jalil Bethea, Florida State forward Taylor Bol Bowen, Tarleton State forward Keitenn Bristow and Bucknell center Noah Williamson. The Tide also added a trio of freshmen in Rivals100 talents Davion Hannah, London Jemison and Amari Allen.

After players reported back to campus last week, here’s a projection of where Alabama’s depth chart stands heading into the summer.

G | Labaron Philon | 6-4, 177 | So.

Last month, Nate Oats explained that his play style doesn’t require a true point guard. Nevertheless, Philon’s return eases the concern over who Alabama’s primary ball-handler will be for the coming season.

Philon shared “point guard” duties with Mark Sears last season, hitting his stride as a distributor late in the campaign. Philon had four or more assists in eight of Alabama’s final 10 games. He should be able to maintain that production this season after the Tide restocked its roster with several capable scorers.

Along with his distribution duties, Philon also has the ability to put the ball in the basket. The star guard earned Freshman All-SEC honors last season after averaging 10.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. Alabama will look for him to improve on his 31.5% shooting from beyond the arc. If he can do that, he should develop into a lottery pick in next year’s draft.

G | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. | 6-3, 190 | Gr.

Wrightsell gets the starting nod here, but that’s more of a long-term projection. The graduate guard missed most of last season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon last November. His knockdown shooting and perimeter defense should be key staples for Alabama this season. However, the Tide might look to ease him back onto the floor before handing him a starting role.

“The one that’s a little more concerning with how he’s gonna be ready for next year is Trelly,” Oats said last month. “He’s way ahead of schedule from everything [team trainer] Clarke [Holter] tells me. He’s working super hard, he’s doing everything he needs to do. We anticipate him being fully ready to go by the first game. He’s jumping, he cleared the jump. He’s been up here at Andrews, Dr. Waldrop was in charge of his surgery, he’s been pleased with where he’s at.”

Before suffering his injury, Wrightsell started five games over eight appearances, averaging 11.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 42.2% from beyond the arc. Once he returns to full health, inserting him into the starting lineup maintains Alabama’s 3-point threat while Philon looks to improve his perimeter shooting. It also allows Holloway to continue to serve off the bench — a role he excelled in last season.

G | Jalil Bethea | 6-5, 190 | So.

Alabama figures to use a three-guard lineup due to its depth at the position. Bethea allows Oats to do that without sacrificing too much size on the court. The Miami transfer offers nice length and possesses a skill set that should complement the Tide’s other guards.

Bethea signed with Miami as the No. 7 overall player in last year’s class. He failed to live up to his five-star potential, as he dealt with a coaching change midway through the season. That led to him averaging 7.1 points while shooting just 36.8% from the floor, including 32.6% from deep. Those shooting numbers should improve in Oats’ setup. Meanwhile, Bethea’s size and athleticism make him an ideal fit for what Alabama wants at the guard position.

F | Taylor Bol Bowen | 6-10, 190 | Jr.

Theoretically, Bol Bowen will serve as Alabama’s replacement for Grant Nelson at the four position. That being said, the Florida State transfer might end up being an improvement, considering the way he fits into Oats’ scheme. While Bol Bowen matches Nelson’s length, he provides much more potential as a shooter.

Last season, Bol Bowen averaged 8.0 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting a blazing 41.4% from beyond the arc. It remains to be seen if he can maintain that 3-point percentage, considering he shot just 21.2% from deep in 2023-24. Still, if Bol Bowen can land somewhere in between those two averages, he’d represent a significant shooting improvement from Nelson.

That being said, Bol Bowen doesn’t quite match Nelson’s muscle down low. That could see him move to the small forward position in a bigger lineup if Jemmison (6-foot-8, 220 pounds) develops quickly or the Tide is able to bring in a big with a bit more bulk.

C | Aiden Sherrell | 6-10, 240 | So.

Philon’s return generated more buzz, but retaining Sherrell was arguably a bigger move for Alabama. The five-star talent appeared to turn the corner late during his freshman year last season, averaging 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds over 11.9 minutes per game in his final eight appearances.

Unlike last season’s starting center, Clifford Omoruyi, Sherrell offers a bit of a threat from deep. Sherrell shot 14 of 42 (33.3%) from beyond the arc last year, including a combined 4 of 6 during the Tide’s final two games against BYU and Duke. The sophomore still needs to polish his game in a few areas, but he has a chance to take a significant leap during his second year in the program.

G | Aden Holloway | 6-1, 180 | Jr.

Holloway could very well earn a starting spot, especially if Alabama needs to ease Wrightsell back onto the court. However, it might make more sense to keep him on the bench and allow him to spell Philon to ensure the Tide has a rested facilitator on the floor at all times.

Holloway served as Alabama’s sixth man last season, appearing in all 37 games without recording a start. He still saw plenty of action, logging 21.1 minutes per game while averaging 11.4 points and 1.9 assists. Holloway is arguably Alabama’s purest shooter. After struggling to find his rhythm at Auburn during his freshman year, he rediscovered his touch during his debut season with the Tide, shooting 41.2% from deep.

G | Houston Mallette | 6-5, 200 | Gr.

While Mallette played in just six games last season, he flashed his ability to make an impact off the bench against North Carolina (6 points, three rebounds, two steals) and North Dakota (10 points, five rebounds, one steal). The former Pepperdine transfer offers nice length and knockdown shooting from beyond the arc (37.7 career 3-point percentage). He’s also someone Alabama was thinking about using at the point guard position before Philon elected to return. Along with on-court production, Malllette’s selfless approach should also see him step up as a leader in the locker room.

F | Keitenn Bristow | 6-8, 190 | So.

Bristow earned Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors last season, averaging 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 32.8% from beyond the arc. Tide Illustrated basketball analyst Jordan Harper was able to take in Alabama’s practice earlier this week and stated that the Tarleton State transfer displayed a “super smooth” approach as well as a nice shot. Bristow will essentially take on the role left behind by departing forward Jarin Stevenson, offering length and a 3-point presence at the four position.

C | Noah Williamson | 7-0, 250 | Sr.

According to Harper, Williamson struggled during Alabama’s practice this week. Still, the reigning Patriot League Player of the Year figures to be a big part of the Tide’s plans, as he will spell Sherrell off the bench. Last season, Williamson averaged 17.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 31.8% from 3. The transition from the Patriot League to the SEC will take some time, but athletic 7-footers who can shoot don’t grow on trees.

G | Amari Allen | 6-5, 180 | Fr.

Allen offers impressive athleticism and could contribute to the team defensively early in the season. However, it’s likely he’ll be an end-of-the-bench option when the team moves into conference play.

G | Davion Hannah | 6-4, 180 | Fr.

Hannah is rated the highest among Alabama’s three incoming freshmen. However, with Philon’s return, he might have the hardest time making it onto the floor. A redshirt season could make sense here, depending on how things shake out in the next few months.

F | London Jemison | 6-8, 200 | Fr.

Jemmison might have the best chance of providing an instant impact among Alabama’s freshmen. The Tide could use a bit more depth at the four position, so if he’s able to develop quickly, he could carve his way into the rotation.