“Elite Size, Skill, and Character”: Nate Oats Breaks Down Alabama’s Transfer Class

Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team signed four new players from the transfer portal yesterday. On Tuesday, the head coach of Alabama men's basketball released statements on the additions and the transfer portal class as a whole.

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“We are excited to welcome these four young men to our program, who are not only extremely talented but great people who will add value to our program," Oats said in a statement from Alabama Athletics. "As a group, they bring a lot of size combined with athleticism and skill that will be great fits in our system. We are excited to welcome both them and their families to the Alabama basketball program.”

Jalil Bethea, 6-foot-5, 190 pounds, is a former five-star guard who transferred to Alabama after spending one season with the Miami Hurricanes. With Miami, Bethea averaged 7.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 36.8 percent from the floor and 32.6 percent from three-point range.

Nate Oats on Jalil Bethea joining the program:

"Jalil is a supreme athlete with unlimited potential and is a player that has every measurable that the NBA is looking for, as he was a projected top-five pick before starting his collegiate career. Jalil is an elite playmaker and possesses great ball handling skills and decision making, and will be a great fit for our system.”

Taylor Bol Bowen, a 6-foot-10, 205-pound forward, joins Alabama after two seasons with the Florida State Seminoles. With Florida State last season, Bol Bowen averaged eight points, 5.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the floor and 41.4 percent from three-point range.

Nate Oats' statement on Bol Bowen:

“Taylor is a tremendous athlete with great size at 6-10 and a 7-2 wingspan. He can spread the floor with his three-point shooting and is one of the best two-way players in the country. He is elite on the defensive end and is one of the best weak-side rim protectors I have seen.”

Keitenn Bristow, a 6-foot-8, 190-pound forward, joins the Crimson Tide after spending his freshman season with Tarleton State. He was the WAC Freshman of the Year, averaging 11.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists last season.

Oats thinks Bristow has a bright future with the talent he has.

"Keitenn is a player that is just beginning to scratch the surface of his talent, as he grew nine inches over the last three years. He has the ability to make plays in transition and push the tempo. He can rebound outside his area and is a capable three-point shooter.”

Noah Williamson is a 7-foot, 250-pound center who immediately comes in as big help for Alabama after losing Clifford Omoruyi last season. He averaged 17.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 53.8 percent from the floor and 31.8 percent from three-point range.

Oats likes what he sees in the 2025 Patriot League Player of the Year.

"Noah is a 7-footer who possesses a lot of skill and has a great IQ. He has the ability to stretch the floor with his three-point shooting and with his passing. He has a good feel for the game and that was shown last year when he was named Patriot League Player of the Year.”

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.