Nate Oats reacts to Noah Clowney, Herb Jones returning for Alabama game during All-Star break
Alabama‘s 100-75 win over Texas A&M on Saturday represented their 10th in SEC play this season, securing their spot atop the conference standings with six games remaining in the regular season.
The Crimson Tide got the victory in front of some notable alumni, with current NBA players Herb Jones and Noah Clowney in attendance for the matchup during the NBA All-Star break. After the game, Alabama head coach Nate Oats spoke on the importance of his former players showing out to support and what it says about the culture of the program.
“That was awesome,” Oats said. “I mean Herb’s been back during the All-Star break, Clowney, they’re both such good kids and Brandon [Miller] has been around a lot too. A lot of these guys want to come back and be a part of it, Noah Gurley was in the building for the game today.”
Miller, Clowney, and Jones represent three of the five Alabama players who have been selected in the past three NBA Drafts. With Miller selected No. 2 overall in the most recent 2023 NBA Draft followed by Clowney being drafted with the No. 21 pick by the Brooklyn Nets.
Jones has carved out a role as a regular starter for the New Orleans Pelicans after being selected in the second round of the 2021 draft. Starting in 185 of his 194 game appearances as an impactful perimeter defending who’s averaging a career-high 11 points per game this season.
“I asked Clowney to talk to some of our guys and he did. I saw him at halftime, he was back there and I said whatever speech you gave them isn’t working because they’re not rebounding like you did,” Oats joked. “So maybe you can swing at it again, go in there at halftime, try to get them to rebound a little better.”
Clowney’s advice may not have worked out for the Crimson Tide, getting out-rebounded by the Aggies 49-38 on Saturday. But per usual Alabama’s opponent couldn’t keep pace with their offense, which currently ranks second in the nation in points per game and reached the 100-point mark for the eighth time this season.
“But it’s great to have guys like that to kind of talk to your guys. They’re trying to get to the level that they’re at so I love those guys, I love them coming back around. We’ll welcome them with open arms whenever they want to come back around,” Oats concluded.
Alabama’s NBA alumni continues to grow under Oats, as the Crimson Tide will look to keep working toward a second SEC regular season title while also proving that their players are built for the next level.