Nate Oats knows the clock is ticking.
The Alabama men’s basketball coach isn’t panicking, but he’s certainly aware of how close the offseason is getting to a critical point—and he’s trying to balance two different needs: finding the right assistant coach to join his staff and possibly adding another player—or even two—to the Crimson Tide’s roster.
“We’re getting to the end. I gotta hurry it up and hire an assistant,” Oats said candidly, recognizing the narrowing window. “The roster spot, we’ve got 11 really good players, so if we fill another spot, and we could really fill two if we wanted − kind of with the NIL, how much you’ve got left, we’ll see − but we would be good going in with 11. You’ve seen the injuries we’ve had in the past. It’d be a little better if we could at least add one more.”
His words paint the picture of a coach who is both calculated and adaptable. There’s no sense of desperation in his voice, but there is urgency—especially on the coaching front. That urgency is understandable. After all, Alabama has become a powerhouse under Oats, and with success comes heightened expectations. The assistant coaching vacancy looms large because of the integral role assistants play in not just game planning and player development, but recruiting, NIL strategy, and fostering team chemistry. The Crimson Tide are coming off a Final Four appearance and will once again be in the national spotlight. Oats understands the importance of having the right support staff in place to maintain that level of excellence.
Yet, while the assistant search may be a matter of “I gotta hurry it up,” the roster situation is less frantic. That’s because Alabama’s current group is already stacked with talent. The team has 11 players locked in, a solid foundation that includes a blend of experienced returners, high-level recruits, and impact transfers. It’s a core that Oats is comfortable with. But there’s a caveat—depth matters. Injuries happen, roles evolve, and the grueling SEC schedule doesn’t allow for thin margins. That’s why, even with a sense of contentment about the 11, Oats is keeping the door open to adding more.
“If we could at least add one more,” he emphasized, “it’d be a little better.”
The current state of college basketball—with NIL dollars, the transfer portal, and ever-shifting rosters—makes it more of a chess match than ever before. Coaches have to juggle not just player fit and positional needs, but also financial considerations tied to name, image, and likeness funds. It’s not just about whether a player wants to come or fits the system. It’s also about whether the program has the NIL resources to make the addition feasible and worthwhile.
For Oats, it’s clear that the assistant coach hire is currently at the top of the priority list. A strategic hire here could make all the difference. The assistant not only has to complement Oats’ fast-paced, analytics-heavy style of basketball but also needs to be a dynamic recruiter and an effective communicator. Alabama is in a rare position nationally—it’s a school that’s no longer hunting for credibility. It has it. But maintaining success is often harder than achieving it in the first place.
One reason for the urgency is timing. The AAU circuit is heating up, visits are being scheduled, and top-tier 2025 and 2026 prospects are starting to narrow their choices. Programs that lack continuity or don’t have key coaching roles filled can quickly fall behind in the race for elite talent. Oats is not one to fall behind. That’s why he’s candid about the need to speed things up on that front.
Still, Oats is nothing if not pragmatic. He’s not going to rush the process to the point of making a mistake. The new assistant must be more than just a warm body or a short-term solution. He needs someone who understands the culture at Alabama, who can hit the ground running both in the locker room and on the trail. It’s a high bar—but Oats has earned the right to set it.
As for the roster, the picture is a little less urgent but still evolving. Having 11 scholarship players is not an emergency, especially when those 11 include elite talent. But Oats is right to point out the risks of being light on numbers. Injuries have hit Alabama hard in the past, and in the era of constant movement and unexpected exits, depth is a luxury that good programs must prioritize.
The mention of possibly adding not just one but even two players is intriguing. That suggests Alabama is still actively monitoring the transfer portal or perhaps even considering late reclassifications or international additions. But it also comes with the caveat of NIL availability. Unlike some programs that operate with seemingly limitless donor-driven collectives, Alabama’s approach appears more measured. That doesn’t mean they lack resources—it means they allocate wisely.
The NIL landscape has changed how roster decisions are made. Coaches aren’t just looking at tape or stats anymore—they’re also weighing market value, branding potential, and long-term financial strategy. Oats’ remarks about NIL budgeting reflect an awareness of those new realities. There’s a finite amount of money to go around, and if the right fit isn’t available at the right price, it may be smarter to ride with 11.
There’s also a psychological element at play. Keeping roster spots open creates flexibility. It gives Alabama room to be opportunistic. If an unexpected name enters the portal or a summer breakout becomes available, they’ll have the ability to act. That kind of agility is a competitive advantage, especially late in the offseason when most teams are capped out.
But the downside is also real. You can’t add what isn’t there, and if Alabama suffers even one or two key injuries next season, depth will be tested. That’s the gamble Oats is trying to mitigate—not by scrambling to add bodies, but by making deliberate choices. One more player could be the difference between another Final Four run or falling short.
In some ways, this moment reflects the maturity of Oats’ program. Earlier in his tenure, every roster spot was critical because Alabama was still building. Now, they’re managing from a position of strength. That doesn’t eliminate pressure—it changes it. Now, the pressure is to sustain, to sharpen the edges, to fine-tune rather than overhaul.
Oats has always been a coach who thinks in systems and margins. He knows Alabama’s pace, spacing, and shooting-heavy approach can create mismatches—but only if the personnel is right and the staff is aligned. That’s why both the assistant hire and the roster decision matter. They’re two parts of the same equation.
For fans, this may feel like the calm before the storm. But for Oats, it’s a crucial pivot point. What he does in the next few weeks will ripple into November and beyond. The assistant he hires will be in the trenches with him all season. The players he chooses—or chooses not to add—could be the difference when Alabama is deep in the SEC grind or battling in March.
There’s confidence in Oats’ voice when he talks about the current roster. “We’ve got 11 really good players,” he said. And that’s no small thing. That’s a group that can compete with anyone in the country. But you can hear it in his tone—he knows the job’s not quite finished. One more piece. One more edge. One more smart move.
That’s where Alabama sits right now. Not in crisis. Not in chaos. But in calculated motion. Oats is a coach who understands time—how to use it, how to stretch it, how to beat it. And right now, time is ticking.
The search for the right assistant continues. The evaluation of potential additions remains ongoing. The margins are narrowing. The spotlight is already returning. And Alabama, under Nate Oats, is still pushing forward—not with panic, but with purpose.