Nuggets: Bama busy building roster with transfer portal visits on deck

We are just 11 days removed from the end of an Alabama basketball season that saw the Tide advance to the Final Four for the first time in program history.

It was a successful fifth season for Nate Oats and Company, but there remains work to be done. Bama’s staff continues to have their eye on the portal, while also maintaining communication with multiple members of the 2024 class.

BamaOnLine has intel on a pair of players in the portal, as well as a recently decommitted 2024 recruit.

Alabama expected to get multiple transfer portal players on campus

On Tuesday, BOL’s Tim Watts reported that Alabama will be hosting Auburn transfer Aden Holloway on campus this week. Holloway is expected to begin his visit to Bama on Thursday.

Holloway, who was a McDonald’s All-American, checked in as the No. 18 overall player and the No. 2 combo guard coming out of high school. He started 26 games last season as a freshman, averaging 7.3 points and 2.7 assists in 20.2 minutes per game. The North Carolina native scored a career high 24 points against Indiana in December, and also had 15-point games against Georgia and USC.

He’s tabbed as the No. 8 combo guard available in the portal, per the On3 Industry Transfer Portal Rankings.

Rutgers big man transfer Clifford Omoruyi. Photo by Vincent Carchietta | USA TODAY Sports

Watts also made a note on Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi, who is a top-10 player in the portal, regardless of rankings. A Saturday or Sunday visit to Alabama for Omoruyi is a possibility, though nothing has been officially set in stone at this point.

In four years at Rutgers, Omoruyi averaged 1.8 blocks per game. In the 2023-2024 season, the 6-foot-11, 240-pounder averaged 2.9 blocks per contest. He also averaged 10.4 points per game on 51.2 percent shooting this past season, as well as 8.3 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per game as a senior.

Elite 2024 SF has Bama in the mix

While a lot of attention is understandably put toward the transfer portal, coaching changes have caused several high-profile 2024 prospects to reopen their recruitments.

One of those is Liam McNeeley out of Montverde Academy. Watts is reporting that Alabama is in contact, and interest has been reciprocated from McNeeley. Some of the other schools that he is looking at include Kentucky and UConn, the latter of which he has scheduled a visit to.

Join the discussion on the BOL Round Table: Liam McNeeley Nugget

Bama stopped by to see McNeeley multiple times during his recruitment, including in September 2022 and April 2023. The Tide landed in his top six back in June 2023, but never received a visit from him. Kansas and Indiana were his two finalists before he committed to the Hoosiers in October. He requested a release from his NLI back on March 7.

The Texas native is the No. 6 small forward and the No. 15 overall player in this recruiting cycle.

A look at Alabama’s roster following additions, departures to transfer portal

Following the season, Alabama has seen several players enter the NCAA Transfer Portal.

So far, the group of Davin Cosby, Kris Parker, Nick Pringle, Rylan Griffen, and Sam Walters have all announced plans to enter, or have already entered, the portal. It is still to be determined who will be heading to the NBA Draft.

The portal has, however, provided a couple of additions to Alabama’s program. The Tide received a commitment from Pepperdine transfer Houston Mallette last month, and landed Tuscaloosa native and former USF player Chris Youngblood this past weekend.

Alabama is also bringing in what is currently the No. 3 overall recruiting class in the country. The program signed Five-Star Plus+ small forward Derrion Reid, big man Aiden Sherrell, and former No. 1 player Naas Cunningham in November.

Grant Nelson, Jarin Stevenson, Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Mark Sears, Mouhamed Dioubate, and Mohamed Wague are all players who can return to Bama next season. Guard Aaron Estrada is out of eligibility.

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