Alabama to honor all six seniors, but most of their futures remain undecided

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men’s basketball team will honor six seniors after its final home game of the 2023-24 season on Saturday, March 9. After the Arkansas game (11 a.m. CT on ESPN), the Crimson Tide will recognize three guards Aaron Estrada, Mark Sears and Latrell Wrightsell and three forwards Grant Nelson, Nick Pringle and Max Scharnowski.

Due to an extra year of eligibility awarded to players during the COVID-19 pandemic, Alabama could welcome back all of them but Estrada, who is in his fifth and final season. UA head coach Nate Oats laid out the Tide’s decision to celebrate all of its seniors on Saturday.

“You’ve got are they coming back? Are they not?” Oats said on Friday. “We just decided to honor all six guys that are seniors. The only one that’s exhausted his eligibility completely after this is Estrada, but we didn’t wanna put guys in positions to decide whether to honor them, not honor them. We’re just gonna honor all six of those guys.

“I think the other guys will all graduate and then it’s up to them whether they wanna decide to use their COVID or not after this year.”

Sears, Wrightsell, Nelson and Pringle can all come back for the 2024-25 season, but Oats said he will have those conversations with each guy after the Tide’s current campaign ends.

“They’re all more than welcome to come back,” Oats said. “We love them all.”

Oats continued, “I talked a lot about I think we owe it to Aaron to give everything we have. He’s poured a lot of his heart and soul into this program the year he’s been here. He’s never played in an NCAA Tournament. The year he was at Oregon was a COVID year, so there wasn’t and then they didn’t make it when he was Saint Peter’s or his two years at Hofstra. 

“So we’re gonna be playing in the NCAA Tournament, we need to try to get as high a seed as possible and we need to try to make a run because I think it’s the best sporting event on the planet. To get him as many games in the tournament as possible would be great for him.”

When asked if he’s thought about what he will do next year, Pringle was non-committal, but like his head coach, emphasized the importance of finishing strong for Estrada’s last year.

“I’ve really just tried to be where my feet are, honestly,” Pringle said. “Just being here for my guys, especially Aaron, knowing this is his last year, just trying to give it all out for him and my teammates. I don’t know. It’s tough to think about, man. Just knowing a guy that you love a lot is just a few games away from not playing in college anymore and hopefully going to the pro league and doing the best he can there.”

Estrada joined the Alabama basketball program after two seasons at Hofstra. A starter in all 30 of the Tide’s games this year, the Woodbury, N.J., native is the team’s second-leading scorer at 13.5 points per game, leads UA in assists (132) and is second in rebounding (161).

A do-it-all player, Estrada reflected on his time in Tuscaloosa before his final home game.

“It’s been everything that I could dream of as playing for a high major,” Estrada said. “I started every game. I played major minutes. I was a big contributor to our success. I just feel like this year, we really grew together as a team, and we’re still growing. 

“I think that we’re gonna go on a good run in March. I think we have a really good chance. Everybody is starting to buy in, our defensive intensity is definitely picking up in practice and we just want to take that into March.”

The Crimson Tide’s six seniors will be recognized after tomorrow’s Alabama-Arkansas game at Coleman Coliseum, which is scheduled to tip off at 11 a.m. CT and air live on ESPN.

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