Nick Saban Made Alabama Allegiance Clear When Addressing LSU Women's Basketball Team

Legendary college football coach Nick Saban let there be no doubt where his loyalty lies when giving advice to the LSU women's basketball team.

Oct 19, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide former football coach and current ESPN analyst Nick Saban on the set of ESPN's College Game Day at the University of Texas on the South Mall, before a game between the Texas Longhorns and the Georgia Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

There's no question that Nick Saban is a college coaching legend. So it made that sense that Kim Mulkey would want him to address her LSU women's basketball team. Even though Saban did famously go from the Tigers to rival Alabama (with a stop coaching the Miami Dolphins in between).

Ever since then the football games between the two powerhouse programs have been dubbed by some as the "Saban Bowl". Of course Saban is no longer at the helm of the Tide and his wisdom is above such rivalries, at least to an extent. Something he showed when addressing Mulkey's squad.

Saban doled out advice to the LSU team in a video shared on social media. He told them, "The most important thing for everybody here is, how can you create the most value for yourself by the choices and decisions you make as a person, as a student, and as a player? And all those things are going to help you be more successful in life."

He went on to add that he always felt it was his responsibility to help his players excel in life through his lessons coaching. With the belief being that taking the right approach from a process standpoint would also lead to winning on the field (or in this case court).

Thank you to Coach Saban for coming to shoot around and speaking with our team! pic.twitter.com/E7qJvEfRSn

— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) November 8, 2024

But after his heartfelt message, Saban made sure to sneak one wisecrack in. He told Mulkey's team that he planned to watch their games and stated, "I still root for LSU all the time...except for when they play Alabama."

Considering the sincerity of his previous words, it is highly unlikely the LSU women's basketball team will take Saban's predictable punchline personally.