Alabama MBB Earns Commitment from Top-25 Recruit

Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide makes its third addition to the 2026 recruiting class, earning a commitment from four-star, top-25 small forward Jaxon Richardson, according to Joe Tipton of On3.

Get our free mobile app

Richardson stands at 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds at Southeastern Prep and is from Orlando, Florida. He's ranked as the No. 21 overall recruit, the No. 7 small forward, and the No. 4 player in Florida, according to the 247 Sports rankings. He chose the Crimson Tide and held 21 total offers, including Creighton, Florida, Michigan, and Villanova, among others. Richardson was named a McDonald's All-American as well. He had taken three visits to the Capstone, including an official visit on September 13, 2025, when Alabama football hosted the Wisconsin Badgers.

247 Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein wrote in his evaluation of Richardson:

"Richardson is one of the truly elite athletes in the national class. He has very long arms and is arguably the single most explosive leaper in high school basketball. He can make momentum changing plays above the rim virtually every time he takes the court, whether that be in transition, catching lobs, or with putback dunks. He also has a defined and functionally strong frame and soft natural hands.

"While his skill-set and shooting have made strides, they are still works in progress (16% 3pt & 54% FT in 13 EYBL games). Beyond that though, we’ve seen some real growth in his game, even if in more subtle areas. His timing and body control are vastly improved. He’s developed as a cutter, has become a willing ball-mover, and is asserting himself as a rebounder (6.8 per game), particularly when flying at the offensive glass. He’s also starting to utilize his athleticism and court coverage to get his hands on a lot of balls and be a playmaker on the defensive end (0.8 steals and 1.3 blocks).

"Overall, Richardson’s athleticism will likely always be his calling card, but his upside is tied to utilizing those gifts in as many areas of the game as possible, and simultaneously continuing to develop the rest of his total floor game."

Jaxon Richardson is the son of Jason Richardson, who was a part of Michigan State's 2000 national championship team and was named an All-Big Ten player in 2001. The Golden State Warriors drafted Jason Richardson with the No. 5 pick in the 2001 NBA draft, where he played 14 seasons in the NBA.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.