What went into Nate Oats' decision to shut down Kentucky rumors, stay at Alabama

Reports of Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari parting ways with the program to become the next head coach at Arkansas sent shockwaves across the college basketball landscape. But also sparked conversations about who will be the next person to lead the Wildcats moving forward.

Alabama head coach Nate Oats had his name enter that conversation following a historic season with the Crimson Tide. A conversation he quickly ended on Monday with a statement he released via social media that revealed his desire to stay in Tuscaloosa.

The Kentucky men’s head basketball job is one of the most prestigious across the college basketball landscape, and on Tuesday, On3’s Andy Staples and James Fletcher discussed why Oats decided to express his loyalty to Alabama and keep rocking with the Crimson Tide.

“So, Nate Oates has an $18 million buyout that just went up because he just redid his deal,” Staples said. “And the folks who cover Alabama put out the signature page yesterday of that contract. I know there were some folks saying, ‘Oh, it’s not quite done. It’s not signed.’ No, it’s been signed by Nate Oats, and the President, and the AD, and the Board of Trustees. It’s done. So he has an $18 million buyout, which he was completely cool with taking because I think he likes it at Alabama.”

There’s no doubt that money talks in college athletics. But aside from Oats’ contract and Alabama’s plethora of resources, Oats has more than proven he can lead the Alabama program to massive success. Proven in is impressive and historic five-year run with the Crimson Tide.

“The Oats situation, we’ve talked off the show and on the show, I think about how comfortable he is at Alabama. How much he enjoys being the coach of that program, what he has kind of built similar to what we’re seeing from Bruce Pearl as well. Just a comfortability there. A guy who has some pride in being the coach who brought this school to this level,” Fletcher explained.

“And if you’re Nate Oats, and you look over at Kentucky, of course, it’s the Kentucky job. It’s going to draw your interest,” Fletcher added. “You’re going to take a look at it at least when you hear your name connected to it, it’s a sense of pride. But you’ve got resources at Alabama, you’ve got people willing to put in that money to the NIL program, you just got your big extension.”

Caliapri’s 15-year tenure with Kentucky is highlighted by a decade of success and the last five seasons representing disappointment for the Wildcats. Leading the program to two national championship appearances (one victory), four Final Four appearances, and seven Elite Eight appearances in his first 10 seasons. But in the last five seasons, the Wildcats have failed to make it out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Headlined by their second first-round upset loss in the last three years this past season.

Meanwhile in Tuscaloosa, the last five years have looked the opposite. With Oats leading the Crimson Tide to two seasons where they took home the SEC regular season and tournament titles. Also making three Sweet Sixteen appearances and their first Final Four appearance in program history this past season

“So if you’re Nate Oats and you’re comfortable there, your family enjoys it there, you’ve had success over Kentucky in recent years. Alabama has had more SEC Tournament success, more SEC regular season success, and more NCAA Tournament success now than Kentucky over the last few seasons,” Fletcher said. “So for if you’re Nate Oats, you’ve got a good thing going and there’s really no reason that you have to make that jump so he decides that he wants to stick around. He gets some commitment from donors, I’m sure.”

Along with Oats’ commitment to the program, the Alabama program has shown commitment to strengthening their future in basketball as well. With Staples mentioning athletic director Greg Byrne’s quote tweet of Oats’ message to promote their NIL collective and Fletcher mentioning rumors of the Crimson Tide being aggressive in the transfer portal this offseason with some additional funding.

That paired with plans of Alabama building a new basketball arena points to the Crimson Tide trending upward compared to the blue-blooded Wildcats. Who surely have a lot to figure out as they search for a new head coach and newfound success following a recent run of disappointment.