WATCH: Nick Saban, Kirby Smart reminisce about Noontime Basketball league

Nick Saban and Kirby Smart are two of the fiercest competitors in football. However, it’s apparent their competitiveness carries over into other places in their lives — like the basketball court .

Back when Smart was working for Saban in Tuscaloosa, the Alabama coach revealed he always needed the Georgia coach on his team for Alabama’s Noontime basketball games.

Tomorrow two of the best in the game go head-to-head.

Nothing but respect between Kirby Smart and Nick Saban. pic.twitter.com/swAqhfwwvM

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) December 4, 2021

“I respect Kirby as a competitor. He was always on my team in Noontime basketball,” stated Saban. “So I know what he’s like when it comes to doing a great job for his team. I respect that.

“You don’t have to dislike the people you’re playing against to respect what they do and how they do it. And the great job they did for you when they were with you. All those things. I’ve never been that way. I played against [Bill] Belichick when I was in the NFL, and we’re good friends. I knew how competitive he was. And I know how competitive Kirby is. I’m just trying to focus on what we can do to help our team have a chance to be successful in the game.”

Moreover, Smart shed some more light on how serious the pickup basketball games were between the Alabama coaching staff.

“He would pick the teams,” said Smart, speaking on Saban. “He was the ref .. general manager .. owner. Fortunately, I got to play on his team. [Will] Muschamp got demoted once I got there. He wanted a younger, more talented guy. He didn’t want Will and Derek [Dooley] on his team anymore.”

Nick Saban loved having Kirby Smart on his coaching staff. However, Saban favorite part may have been being Smart’s teammate in Noontime basketball.

Smart on Saban: ‘He’s got unbelievable handles.’

Every week, Kirby Smart feels like he’s scheming against a former Alabama assistant. However, there’s more than meets the eye with that statement — it also means Smart is facing a former Noontime basketball advesary.

“We had some really physical battles,” elaborated Smart. “What’s so unique is everywhere you go play somebody, somebody was either on that staff or at Alabama and just like, man, you remember those basketball games? And you had to go play. Cause he’d look at you and go, hey, what time we playing? And I’m like, aw man — I thought I was out today. You gotta play.”

Furthermore, Kirby Smart revealed a surprising fact about Saban’s basketball skills. According to the Georgia coach, Saban has handles like Kyrie Irving.

“He’s got unbelievable handles,” stated Smart. “And he’s got an uncanny ability to bank-shot. You know the guy on Hoosiers who teaches you to hit the bank-shot? He still uses the backboard. I grew up in a generation where the backboard, you didn’t count that. You had to go all net. He still uses the backboard.”

Unfortunately, it looks like the Alabama Noontime basketball tradition had to be retired. Nick Saban had to retire due to an injury.

“Since I got my hip replaced, I had to retire,” Saban revealed.

The world can’t wait to see Nick Saban and Kirby Smart faceoff in Saturday’s SEC Championship Game. However, some footage of the coaches playing pickup basketball would for-sure go viral.