Nate Oats lands 2027 top-25 recruit to boost backcourt

The Alabama Crimson Tide have been one of the better college basketball programs in the country under head coach Nate Oats, and they have a strong incoming recruiting class for the upcoming season. When it comes to 2027, Alabama landed their first recruit of that class in guard Chase Lumpkin, as per Joe Tipton of On3.

Chase Lumpkin is considered a top-25 recruit in the country, and his commitment gives Alabama a strong backcourt option for the 2027-28 season. This year he will be playing his senior season at McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia. He is a combo guard capable of playing both backcourt positions, and he has experience playing with Team USA on the U17 and U16 levels.

When Lumpkin arrives at Alabama, it will be Oats’ ninth season at the helm as head coach. He took over the program ahead of the 2019-20 season, and he’s compiled an overall record of 170-73 across the past seven seasons. Back in April, Oats reached an agreement on a contract extension with the program.

In those seven seasons, Oats has guided the Crimson Tide to the NCAA Tournament six times. That’s the second-most number of tournament appearances in school history behind only Wimp Sanderson who led the program to The Big Dance ten times.

The farthest they’ve advanced under Oats in the tournament is the Final Four in 2023-24. This past year, he guided Alabama to a 25-10 record, including 13-5 in SEC play, and to the Sweet 16 in March Madness.

While the Crimson Tide will await the arrival of Lumpkin in 2027-28, they have an impressive group of freshman coming in this season, including guards Qayden Samuels and Anderson Diaz, forwards Jaxon Richardson and Tarris Bouie and center TJ St. Louis.