Pepperdine Transfer Houston Mallette Commits to Alabama Basketball

Nate Oats locks down his first transfer portal commitment before the season even ends.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – In today’s world of college athletics, the transfer portal stops for nothing, not even the NCAA Tournament.

With Alabama basketball gearing up for a run in the Big Dance, it also secured a commitment for its 2024-25 roster, landing Pepperdine transfer guard Houston Mallette.

Mallette looks to be a perfect fit for the Crimson Tide’s up-tempo, NBA-style system. He has been Pepperdine’s most consistent scorer over the past three seasons, averaging at least 13 points per game every season of his career and averaging 14.7 points per game this past season.

He’s an efficient shooter from distance, shooting at a career-best 41.5 percent clip from downtown this season, and has a career 3-point percentage of 37.5. He can score from all three levels of the floor, and is a strong passer, an essential attribute in order to be successful in Oats’ offense. He also grabbed over three rebounds and dished out over two assists per game in 2024.

Mallette has good length for a guard at 6-foot-5, which should help translate to the defensive end of the floor, an area where Alabama has struggled mightily this season.

It remains unclear what Mallette’s role will exactly be next season, as Alabama’s backcourt still has decisions to make about its future. Only Aaron Estrada is out of eligibility, while Mark Sears and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. have the option to use their COVID years and come back.

Regardless of what Sears and Wrightsell decide to do, Mallette is sure to play a large role on the Crimson Tide’s 2024-25 team in his final year of eligibility.

See also:

Alabama Basketball Receives 4-Seed in NCAA Tournament