If Nick Pringle Continues to Improve, He Could Be Alabama Basketball's X-Factor

Pringle's double-double against Georgia was a sign of his full potential, but there are still areas he needs to improve in to maximize it.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Nick Pringle has shown flashes of what he can do at different times this season for Alabama, but his performance against Georgia was probably what Nate Oats hoped for when he signed the forward as a top junior college prospect.

The Seabrook, S.C. product had a career night against Georgia, scoring 19 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in 21 minutes. As great as that stat line was, Pringle also played within his role: using his athleticism to finish at the rim with dunks and layups. 

Even so, Pringle didn't expect to have such an explosive game.

"I'm just an energy guy," Pringle said after the 108-59 blowout win. "I'm not really looking to score. I'm looking to defend, rebound the ball and do things that don't show up on the stat sheet.

"When you play hard and do blue collar things, points will come your way."

Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats talked after the game how Pringle was put on the scout team to get him more reps, and that he did a great job emulating opposing big men while scoring on Charles Bediako and Noah Clowney in practice.

"The one post move he missed in the first half I've seen him score on Charles quite a lot," Oats said. "I kinda expected him to score."

There's a lot to like about what Pringle brings to the game: a big man who can run the floor like a guard, jump out the gym and attack the glass for rebounds. The junior has also reached double figures in every game he's played at least 19 minutes, suggesting that Pringle could flourish with enough playing time.

But there is a reason why Pringle has seven games with 10 or more minutes.

Skill-wise, the biggest area of concern is his free-throw shooting. Pringle has made 47.1 percent from the charity stripe this season, and that number dips to 45.8 percent in Southeastern Conference play, including a disappointing 1-for-5 against the Bulldogs. 

"If he could make a free throw or make the one dunk he missed, he's got a 20-10 night going which is pretty impressive," Oats said.

The missed dunk occurred when Pringle used a spin move in transition and he misjudged where he was on the court, a reasonable mistake that a lot of people aren't athletic enough to make. But his free-throw shooting not only has to get better, but become more consistent.

Outside of his skills, Pringle's awareness on both sides of the ball is also an issue.

When the offense is in a half-court set, Oats sometimes screams at Pringle to go set a screen for the ball handler or another player. Defensively, he struggles in pick-and-roll coverage and paint protection.

"He needs to work on protecting the rim a little bit better," Oats said. "You kinda see the highlight blocks, but when we look at our defensive efficiency numbers, we're better off when Charles [Bediako] is in."

Oats did mention that Bediako does have a better understanding of the defense since he has another year in the system compared to Pringle. That said, the drop-off from Bediako and Clowney to Pringle is too wide.

Clowney leads the team in defensive efficiency when he's on the floor, giving up 80.6 points per 100 possessions. Bediako is close behind, giving up 81.4 points per 100 possessions. 

Pringle? He gives up 85.7 points per 100 possessions.

The good news for Oats is that Pringle is more willing to listen and take criticism than when he first arrived. He said as much when he was a guest on "Hey Coach," a radio show in Tuscaloosa.

"He's more coachable now," Oats said. "Guys come in and they don't realize how much they really need to learn. He needed to learn a lot. He's got a lot of athletic ability.

"He's still got a lot of room to improve on defense. But he's been coachable."

Oats also envisions Pringle being a part of the rotation moving forward, saying after the Georgia game that "He's a guy that we need to have playing well for us because we need some depth inside."

Alabama's next game will be on the road against the South Carolina Gamecocks. Tipoff is scheduled for Wednesday at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

See also: The Grind: Nick Pringle's Basketball Journey

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