Bama gets bigger

Peach Jam week means endless takes about some of college basketball’s future stars. We’ll help you sort the noise from the actual substance. But first, Alabama’s frontcourt is no longer a weakness.

Let's get to the news.

1. Mo bigs, less problems

Six weeks ago, Alabama’s frontcourt was pretty much just Nick Pringle. Now? The Tide have a versatile stretch-4 (Grant Nelson), a promising freshman (Jarin Stevenson) and a rim-running big who can handle interior SEC defenders in West Virginia transfer Mohamed Wague.

Wague only averaged 4.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in about 10 minutes per game last season but was productive when he played. He shot 74 percent from the field and put up 10 and 8 in 27 minutes against K-State and 8 and 6 in just 14 minutes against Florida.

Bama coach Nate Oats runs a guard-oriented system, so Wague will mostly rebound and protect the rim. Points are a bonus. If he’s even close to what Charles Bediako was last year for the Tide, this is a win. He should soak up most of the minutes at the 5, with Pringle and Stevenson spelling him.

Does this addition push Alabama to the top of the SEC preseason standings? It’s possible. If the frontcourt does its job, the onus will be on newcomers Aaron Estrada and Latrell Wrightsell to produce, because returning starter Mark Sears will be a steady presence.

In other transfer portal activity:

• Turns out Jose Perez won’t ever play at West Virginia. The forward entered the portal on Wednesday and is on the search for his fifth school since 2018-19.

• Bryce Cook (SMU) is off to Sam Houston State.

• Boston Stanton III (IUPUI) will go DII.

• Providence guard Alyn Breed is in the portal.

• Northern Arizona guard Jason Parent is in the portal.

2. Jamming out

Ah, Peach Jam. The only event that truly matters in Augusta, Georgia.

For the last four days, high school players have been displaying their game in the best hoops showcase of the summer. College coaches will be on the sideline starting today, giving the event even more juice.

There’s also some thrilling basketball, as John Fanta was on the call for this wild double OT thriller between JL3 and NH Lightning.

That was JL3’s Ashton Simmons with the game-winner. Most aren’t in on the 2024 guard prospect yet. That could change after this week and his 21-point, 11-rebound, 14-assist outing on Wednesday.

So what about the other standouts?

The prize of Peach Jam viewing is Cooper Flagg, arguably the top recruit in the 2025 class. Flagg has displayed shot creation, passing and knockdown scoring thus far. He tallied 21 points and 10 boards along with the seven dimes in Maine United’s win over Cameron Boozer and Nightrydas Elite.

Not that Boozer was bad. The other prize recruit in the class of 2025, Boozer had 22 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks in the loss.

Beyond them, Jase Richardson, a top 50 guard in the class of 2024, has averaged 23 points in three Peach Jam games. He’s the son of former Michigan State national champion and longtime NBA veteran Jason Richardson. Jase is considering eight schools, including Michigan State, Alabama, Arkansas and USC, among others. Richardson’s strong Peach Jam showing could catapult him into 5-star status in the recruiting ranking update.

Top-100 recruit Jackson McAndrew is another riser. The 6-8 stretch-4 from Minneapolis scored 20-plus points in the first three games and is one of the event’s top perimeter shooters. McAndrew’s ability to move off the ball paired with a lightning-quick shot release will surely attract some of the blue bloods.

Here’s a highlight for Auburn fans: Watch Tahaad Pettiford at work. He swatted two shots away in one possession, one with each hand, to boot.

There’s more Peach Jam today and the rest of the week, so check back tomorrow with more updates.

3. 20 wins, can you do something for me?

In five seasons at Drake, coach Darian DeVries has won at least 20 games each season. In the past three, he’s racked up 78 wins and made two NCAA Tournaments.

Might have to get used to that.

The Bulldogs are set for another solid season thanks to DeVries and his son, Tucker, who averaged 18.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and won Mo Valley Player of the Year. Tucker is arguably the best returning mid-major player in the country and toyed with the NBA Draft this summer. Instead, the 6-7 wing will be the only returning starter for the Bulldogs.

They’ll surround him with newcomers Ethan Roberts (Army) to shore up the shooting, Atin Wright (Cal State Northridge) who will love playing in an offense that isn’t utter chaos, Kyron Gibson (UT-Arlington) as a sixth-man gunner and Carlos Rosario (Wazzu) to finish out the recruiting class.

In all, three double-digit scoring transfers join the fray as ensemble members to DeVries’s main character status. Those four newcomers are solid bets to strengthen the winning culture that Darian DeVries has brought to Des Moines.

A sixth 20-win season could be in the cards.

Tiger tales

Memphis doesn’t have much back from its 26-win season. So how is Penny Hardaway adjusting? John Fanta, Rob Dauster and Terrence Oglesby discuss their season outlook, offseason moves, and Penny Hardaway’s three-game suspension.

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Links while you sign up for Threads (follow us, threads.net/@fieldof68)

• Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark says his first year on the job has “been the most enjoyable 11 months I’ve ever had professionally.”

• What’s going on with Oregon hoops?

• UConn’s move to the Big 12 might be inevitable.

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