The basketball world will converge on Brooklyn on Thursday for the 2023 NBA Draft. In the backdrop of individual lives changing by hearing their names selected, universities will be showcased on an international level with their players’ selections. The programs most known for sending players to the league — Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, etc. — will be well-represented again this year, but Thursday also holds historic significance for schools striving to reach that tier perennially.
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That includes Alabama.
Star forward Brandon Miller, a consensus All-American, will be present in the green room. Miller won’t have to wait long, as it’s almost certain that he won’t fall past No. 3 overall to the Trailblazers and he has a chance to be selected as high as No. 2 to the Hornets. When he’s picked, he should be the first top-three selection from Alabama since Antonio McDyess went second in 1995. That alone is special for Alabama, but there’s another possibility that’s equally, if not more, significant.
Forward Noah Clowney also received a green room invitation over the weekend. The latest mock draft by The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie slotted Clowney at No. 20 to the Rockets. Alabama is one of four schools (Arkansas, Duke, Michigan) with multiple first-round projections by Vecenie. If that prediction comes true, it will be the first time Alabama has had two first-round picks in the same draft since, again, 1995, when Jason Caffey (No. 20) joined McDyess.
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This year’s Alabama prospects also include big man Charles Bediako, a potential second-round pick. Three Crimson Tide selections in one draft hasn’t happened since 1987.
Those possibilities on the heels of arguably the most successful season in school history — with an all-time best mark in wins (31), the SEC regular season and tournament championship sweep, AP No. 1 ranking and Sweet 16 appearance — are the latest evidence that the program is trending toward sustained national relevance.
It dates back to a vision set forth by Nate Oats four years ago at his introductory news conference. Then, the newly hired head coach spoke of the program’s potential, referring to Alabama as a national collegiate brand. The program’s history surprised him, as the Crimson Tide trailed only Kentucky and Arkansas in the SEC in total wins all time. His goal was direct but lofty: elevating the basketball program to the winning standard that’s been set by Alabama’s football dynasty.
“The football program set the standard around here at the highest possible level,” Oats said then. “We’re going to work our tails off every day to get this thing moving in that direction.”
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There’s still long strides to make before Alabama is considered a perennial national brand in college basketball, but the early years of Oats’ tenure are yielding positive results in several important categories of building a program: winning, talent development/professional pipeline and university support, all of which lead to the all-important recruiting component.
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In addition to the aforementioned 2022-23 season accomplishments, it was the third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for the program, which hadn’t happened since Mark Gottfried’s five consecutive appearances from 2001-06. Expectations are high again this upcoming season with key contributors Mark Sears and Jahvon Quinerly back in addition to transfer portal help, and playing deep into the postseason again will further advance the national brand.
Budding success on the court is being matched with a projected new arena that was approved in February 2022. While inflation has delayed the next steps, the facility will get built at some point, sending a strong message that the university puts a high priority on basketball even in the shadow of an all-time football program. An improving on-court product with a new arena spells better atmospheres, which adds another layer to program attractiveness on a regional and national level.
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These factors, culminating in what should be an exciting Thursday night for the fan base, will help Alabama become a consistent, strong recruiting presence. There’s evidence to Oats’ recruiting prowess already, as his average 247Sports Composite class ranking since taking over is about 13th nationally, headlined by the 2022 class (that included Clowney and Miller) that was No. 3. His approach is two-pronged between high school and the transfer portal, and continuing to show an ability to develop players into first-round picks, especially lottery picks like Miller, will make the Crimson Tide a viable option for blue-chip players and portal entries.
For now, the program will enjoy the history Thursday’s draft will bring. There are no guarantees in the volatile world of college sports, and upward mobility in the SEC becomes tougher with the impending additions of Texas and Oklahoma. But Alabama’s current trajectory tells us that nights like Thursday will become much more common.
(Photo of Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney: Maria Lysaker / USA Today)