Alabama Basketball Already Building Chemistry as Practice Opens

The Crimson Tide has a roster featuring nine new players and only three returners from a season ago.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Last season's Alabama basketball team was not only historically great, but the group was notoriously close in the bond that they shared together.

Just a few months later, only three members of the 2022-23 roster are still around in Mark Sears, Rylan Griffen and Nick Pringle. Between freshmen and incoming transfers, the 2023-24 rendition of the Crimson Tide features nine new players.

"We had great chemistry last year, I think that's part of the reason we were No. 1 in the country and had the year we had," said Alabama head coach Nate Oats on Monday, addressing the media for the first time since last season ended.

"It comes with the culture you build. I think we've done a good job with both the transfers and the freshmen making sure they're really high character kids."

Griffen, who while only a sophomore is one of the longest-tenured members of the team, is already working on making sure the team gets as close as they can.

"Off the court, we're real close," Griffen said. "I hang out with somebody on the team every day, whether it's at their house doing something, eating, just little things. I feel like even though they're new, that they've been here for a while already."

Oats said he's seen the same things Griffen mentioned. 

"Our guys have done a great job with themselves getting together off the court," Oats said. 

Last week, the team had its annual team retreat, where the players, coaches and team personnel spend a weekend in the woods doing everything from intense workouts to team bonding. 

#BlueCollarBasketball Team Retreat: Day 1 pic.twitter.com/me86hpe7Ym

— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) September 15, 2023

The team also spent a day on Lake Tuscaloosa yesterday to give the players and staff even more time to spend together.

"The lake was really fun," Sears said. "A lot of team bonding and a few guys got tossed off the boat. I feel like off the court everybody's gelling together and it's fun to be around."

When discussing team chemistry, Oats outlined the exact type of mindset and culture he's looking for his players to have. 

"Really just having guys that like to see their teammates succeed," Oats said. "They're really happy when their teammates are successful while at the same time competing and understanding that the competition in practice is making both of them better, which in the long run will make the team better."

The Alabama basketball season is just 42 days away, with the first game set for November 6 against Morehead State in Coleman Coliseum. 

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