Second Alabama forward enters transfer portal

According to Matt Zenitz of On3, Alabama Crimson Tide forward Keon Ambrose-Hylton has entered the transfer portal. He is the second scholarship player to leave the program on Monday for head coach Nate Oats, following Alex Tchikou.

Being a rotational player for Alabama this season, Ambrose-Hylton appeared in 11 total regular-season and four SEC games. His biggest contribution came against the Miami Hurricanes by playing 20 minutes and scoring five points.

Ambrose-Hylton was a four-star prospect according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting services, coming out of high school. He was on the verge of being a top 100 player in the 2020 recruiting class, ranked at No. 103. Listed as a power forward, Ambrose-Hylton was the No. 17 recruit at his position.

Programs such as the Arkansas Razorbacks, Illinois Fighting Illini, Ole Miss Rebels, and USC Trojans offered Ambrose-Hylton as a recruit. Ultimately choosing Alabama, he will now have the option to explore those schools once again in the transfer portal.

It’s the beginning of some serious roster turnover for head coach Nate Oats, with Ambrose-Hylton just being the latest to depart the program.

Another Alabama Crimson Tide forward enters transfer portal

According to Matt Zenitz of On3, Alabama forward Alex Tchikou has entered the transfer portal. Spending just two seasons with Oats in Tuscaloosa, Tchikou will be looking for a new home during his redshirt sophomore season.

Tchikou did not play often this past year, recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon before the 2020-2021 season began. He was forced to take a medical redshirt before appearing in three games early in the year for the Crimson Tide against Iona, Miami, and Oakland.

In those three games, Tchikou only played six minutes and attempted two shots. He missed both but was able to add four total rebounds, with three coming against the Hurricanes over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Coming out of high school, Tchikou was a four-star prospect according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting services. He ranked as the No. 85 overall player in the 2020 recruiting class and the No. 11 power forward.

Tchikou had eight other offers before eventually committing to Alabama during his recruitment. The Arizona Wildcats, Illinois Fighting Illini, and Oregon Ducks were some of the biggest names, with fellow-SEC member Mississippi State involved as well. Now, Tchikou could reopen his relationship with those programs as he enters the transfer portal.