What playing in the NCAA Tournament meant to Aaron Estrada as his college career ends
GLENDALE, Ariz. – Aaron Estrada walked off the court as a college basketball player for the last time on Saturday night. Playing in his sixth season, Estrada’s eligibility ran out with Alabama’s 86-72 loss to No. 1 overall seed UConn in the Final Four at State Farm Stadium.
While disappointed, there was a sense of appreciation from Estrada as he sat at his locker.
“I couldn’t have asked for any other way to finish my college career,” Estrada said. “With this being my final season, just to go to a Final Four, it was a special experience with a special group.”
Estrada transferred to Alabama this offseason after two years at Hofstra. It marked the fourth stop of his college career, along with one-year stints at Saint Peter’s and Oregon, but it proved to be the most rewarding for Estrada. After five years at the collegiate level, the New Jersey native finally made the NCAA Tournament. Not only that, he helped lead the Crimson Tide to its second Elite Eight appearance in school history and its first Final Four.
Estrada was key during Alabama’s March Madness run, too, as he scored in double figures in all but one of the Tide’s five tournament games. In the loss to UConn, the senior guard scored 13 points and was 3-of-5 from behind the 3-point line. His highest-scoring game was a 19-point output against North Carolina in the Sweet 16, and he was two points short of a double-double against Grand Canyon in the Round of 32 (8 points and 10 rebounds).
Minutes after the Huskies ended Alabama’s season and Estrada’s career, he looked back on this historic NCAA Tournament run and began to smile in an otherwise blue locker room.
“It’s been fun, man,” Estrada said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t win tonight, but I can say I took a lot of good things away from the experience. A lot of people don’t even make it to the NCAA Tournament. Up until this point, I’d never been to the NCAA Tournament. I can’t even really describe what the experience is like. You’ve just gotta be here to really get the full experience.
“As a kid when you watch the games, you only see what’s on the TV. You only get to watch the game. You don’t get to come back in the locker room, get to see all the media and all that stuff. Yeah, I’m happy with the season that we had, and we made history, as well.”
Estrada played in and started all 37 of the Tide’s games this season after committing to Nate Oats out of the transfer portal. He averaged 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 44.9 percent from the field as UA’s two guard beside Mark Sears.
Although he was only in Tuscaloosa for one year, Estrada made an impact on his teammates.
“He’s been a huge blessing to this team,” said fellow senior Latrell Wrightsell. “He brought a culture to us and the Bama culture that now there’s a standard. He’s part of this history and he meant a lot to this team. He was a great glue guy, great core guy, great leader, a great mentor for some younger guys. He was also just a really cool dude.
“That’s my dude. We hang out on and off the court. I love that dude. I hope the best for him.”
Estrada helped Alabama make history by sercuring its first-ever Final Four berth. He believes the standard has been set by not only his squad but the 2022-23 team that was the top overall seed in last year’s tournament and helped lay a strong foundation for the future.
As the only guy from this year’s trailblazing group who can’t return for the 2024-25 season, Estrada shared his message to the players who can come back and build on this success.
“Just finish the job next year, honestly,” Estrada said. “It’s already proven that Coach Oats is a great coach and he can get teams here regardless of who he recruits, who’s coming in in the coaching staff. Regardless of his situation, he’s a winner, and he’s gonna do what it takes to win. I would say just finish the job.”
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