Alabama basketball is getting to work earlier than usual this preseason.
The Crimson Tide returns from its fourth consecutive Sweet 16 run, a program first, under Alabama coach Nate Oats to start a 3-game exhibition slate this October. That schedule started with Furman on Thursday, Oct. 8.
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Alabama will also travel to Birmingham twice for exhibition matchups against Ole Miss and Auburn, to be played at Boutwell Auditorium and the BJCC, respectively.
Here are three things to know about Alabama’s 2026-27 team before the season officially starts on Tuesday, Nov. 3 against Sam Houston.
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“Size. We couldn’t really rebound with some of the better teams in the country last year,” Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats told Crimson Tide Sports Network on Thursday, Oct. 8 before the game. Oats highlighted the Michigan, Florida, Texas, Tennessee and Arizona losses among those where Alabama was “pounded on the glass.”
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“Our frontcourt is thicker, as you’ll see…” Oats continued.
The senior guard is serving a 5-game suspension stemming from a marijuana charge in March that has been dismissed since Holloway completed the requirements of a second-chance program. He will be sidelined for all three exhibition games, plus two regular season matchups, setting up his debut for Nov. 9 against Oakland.
Alabama basketball recruited five incoming freshmen, including Qayden Samuels, who received a starting nod against Furman, as well as Jaxon Richardson, Tarris Bouie, Anderson Diaz and TJ St. Louis. Diaz was sidelined for Alabama’s first exhibition with what Oats described as an “upper body injury” while Richardson is recovering from an “illness.”
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Transfers include center Drew Fielder (Boise State), forward and center Brandon Garrison (Kentucky), forward Jamarion Davis-Fleming (Mississippi State) and forward Cole Cloer (NC State). The transfer class ranked 29th in the country, per 247Sports. However, Alabama’s 2026 signing class as a whole ranked No. 6 in the 247Sports composite.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Three things to know about Alabama basketball as it navigates 2026 preseason
