Alabama Basketball “Winners” in 2023 Portal Cycle per On3

After losing three players to the NBA and several others to graduation or the transfer portal, head coach Nate Oats hit the transfer portal hard in order to reload for the 2023-24 campaign. Oats and his staff's efforts landed them on a list of the ten winners of the 2023 transfer portal cycle per On3's Jamie Shaw.

Alabama is one of three teams in the SEC to make the list, joined by Arkansas and LSU. Future member Texas also found a spot on the list.

Oats ended up with four players, guard Aaron Estrada, guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr., forward Mohamed Wague, and forward Grant Nelson.

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Estrada, a former two-time CAA Player of the Year, averaged 20.2 points and 4.3 assists a game for the Hofstra Pride last season. Estrada is set to help ease the loss of guards Jahvon Quinerly and Jaden Bradley, who both transferred out last season.

One of the biggest names to enter the transfer portal last spring, Grant Nelson opted to test NBA draft waters while entering the transfer portal after spending three seasons in Fargo as a key member of the North Dakota State Bison.

Nelson ultimately decided to withdraw his name from the NBA draft, officially announcing his transfer to Alabama on June 28.

Nelson is a highly sought-after, modern big who has the ability to space the floor, along with being able to create off the dribble. The 6-11 forward also possesses the same length and rim-protecting ability as Noah Clowney and Charles Bediako, helping to keep the Tide's elite defense from a season ago, along with giving center Nick Pringle a running mate in the frontcourt.

The Tide also landed former Cal State Fullerton guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr., who experienced a breakout season in 2022-23, doubling nearly all of his stats, including a 12 point jump in his three-point percentage (from 26 to 38). Wrightsell Jr. should be an elite scorer and sparkplug off the bench for Nate Oats & the Tide this season.

The fourth & final transfer on the list is former West Virginia Mountaineer Mohamed Wague. Wague averaged four points and three rebounds a game for WVU before being sidelined by a foot injury on Febuary 25. The 6-10 junior should provide a young Alabama frontcourt with solid depth.

For more Alabama Basketball content from Simon Besnoy, follow him on X/Twitter at @Simonbez1 and stay tuned to Tide1009.com for daily news.