Alabama's tactical transfer moves

Good morning! You’re almost to the weekend. Sounds nice, right?

Let's get to Wednesday’s news.

1. Assessing Alabama portal additions + more portal moves

Alabama isn’t chasing high-profile transfer portal players, which is a contrast to its 2024 approach.

Its latest addition was Wednesday when it added WAC Freshman of the Year Keitenn Bristow.

The guard averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists at Tarleton, while shooting 46.1% from the field and 21-of-64 (32.8%) from 3-point range. Out of high school, Bristow was a 3-star prospect, just outside the top 250 of 247Sports’ rankings.

This addition is another piece to what has been an interesting offseason for Alabama.

The Tide lost Mark Sears, Grant Nelson, Chris Youngblood and Cliff Omoruyi to graduation, and Mo Dioubate, Jarin Stevenson, Derrion Reid and Naas Cunningham to the transfer portal.

The only players set to return from the Tide’s 28-9 squad are Aden Holloway and Aiden Sherrell. Labaron Philon is going through the NBA Draft process and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. could possibly come back with a medical redshirt.

Alabama has filled in the gaps with Bristow, former Miami guard and former 5-star prospect Jalil Bethea, former Florida State forward Taylor Bol Bowen and former Bucknell big man Noah Williamson. None of those players are ranked inside the top-50 of 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings. That’s a stark difference to last year when it added Omoruyi, Holloway, Youngblood and Houston Mallette. All except Mallette were highly sought after transfers.

The Tide do have three talented incoming class of 2025 recruits in Amari Allen, Davion Hannah and London Jamison. But overall, there’s still a lot to be desired from the roster that Nate Oats has put together. As it stands on paper, this isn’t necessarily a team who can make a deep run into the NCAA Tournament.

All in all, Wednesday was slower in terms of transfer portal commitments. Here are other moves:

• Pablo Tamba — LSU

• Jaylen Curry — Oklahoma State

• Ugonna Onyenso — Virginia

• Jailen Bedford — Virginia Tech

• Koron Davis — Alabama A&M

• Chudi Dioramma — Arkansas State

• Javon Ruffin — Bowling Green

• Muneer Newton — Campbell

• Anton Bonke — Charlotte

• Foster Wonders — Cleveland State

• Louis Lesmond — Fordham

• Lamin Sabally — Iona

• Deyton Albury — New Mexico

• Cyr Malonga — New Mexico State

• Kajus Kublickas and KC Ibekwe — Pacific

• Keyon Kensie Jr. — Portland State

• Po'Boigh King — Sam Houston

• Trey Buchanan — South Dakota State

• JoJo Moore and Davion Bradford — Tulane

• Donald Whitehead — UNCG

• Jaden Baker — Wagner

2. St. John’s lands a … high school prospect?

Rick Pitino said in late February that he’d turn down a 5-star class of 2025 prospect because he doesn’t think you can “win big” with high school players. Because of these comments, many expected St. John’s to build its roster with exclusively transfers.

Not so fast!

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