Kai Spears hits three-point shot vs. Mississippi State after being put on scholarship

Kai Spears might be having the best week of his life. Not too long after being put on scholarship, he checked into the game on Saturday night and was able to contribute. Beginning the week as a walk-on turned into making a shot everyone in Tuscaloosa loved.

Alabama taking care of business against Mississippi State is why Spears was able to get into the game. Nate Oats has had a ton of success against the Bulldogs, winning six in a row. This might have been the biggest of them all, scoring 99 points and holding them to just 67.

Multiple shots went up and Alabama was working a lengthy possession. While every player was under the rim, Spears was at the top of the key waiting for his moment. After a rebound from Max Scharnowski, another walk-on, Spears was open and had all day to hit the shot.

You can check out the moment here.

KAI SPEARS! pic.twitter.com/lvM2x6L8l4

— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) February 4, 2024

Alabama is now 8-1 in SEC play, currently having sole possession of first place in the conference standings. The dominant win was a nice present for Aaron Estrada, celebrating his 23rd birthday. Even so, the focus had to be on Spears for lighting up Coleman Coliseum.

“Kai puts in just as much work as all of us,” Aaron Estrada said during a postgame interview with SEC Network. “He just recently got the scholarship. It’s really just evident. Like I said, he puts in a lot of work, just like us. He practices hard, he gets good reps in. So, I’m happy for him. He deserves it.”

Spears is in his second season with the program after playing at Bishop Canevin High School in Pittsburgh, PA. Heading into the Mississippi State game, Spears had just one made bucket against Eastern Kentucky on the season on three attempts.

He may not get into the game too often but Oats still wanted to reward Spears for his hard work as Alabama had a scholarship available. Everyone appears to be thrilled for Spears.

“Super happy for him,” Oats said. “He’s a great kid. He works really hard. He deserves it – as does Max (Scharnowski). We kind of had both those guys that are our multi-year walk-ons, you look at those guys, and anytime we have a scholarship available and we’ve got a great walk-on that’s doing what he’s supposed to do, we’re going to reward him with it.”