23. Alabama
Projected Starting Five: Mark Sears, Nimari Burnett, Brandon Miller, Noah Gurley, Charles Bediako
Nate Oats once again has a talented roster that hopes to contend for an SEC title. Last year’s team looked the part of a contender for stretches with wins over Gonzaga, Houston, Baylor and Tennessee. However, inconsistencies were ultimately the downfall for Oats’ club. Oats hopes one of the top recruiting classes in the country can help iron out those issues.
Brandon Miller and Jaden Bradley are top-20 recruits who could potentially crack the starting lineup as freshman. One locked-in starter is former Ohio guard Mark Sears who averaged just under 20 PPG for the Bobcats last year. It remains to be seen when the Crimson Tide expect senior Jahvon Quinerly to return. One of Alabama’s most important players, Quinerly tore his ACL in the NCAA tournament last year and his timetable is uncertain.
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