Chris Youngblood makes first start after embracing bench role at Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Chris Youngblood was in Alabama’s starting lineup for the first time this season on Saturday night when the Crimson Tide welcomed LSU to Coleman Coliseum.

In his last 10 games, Youngblood came off the bench, a move that some may have thought was disappointing for the former American Athletic Conference Player of the Year. But Youngblood, a Tuscaloosa native, has embraced whatever role Nate Oats has asked of him.

“It’s funny because at first, my family thought I was gonna be mad about not starting, but I was like, ‘Man, this team is wonderful,’” Youngblood said after the win. “So I’ve just embraced this coming-off-the-bench role with my boy, (Aden Holloway). But he put me in the starting lineup, so I couldn’t come off the bench with him anymore. It was fun.”

The South Florida transfer finished second on Alabama’s team in minutes played (29) and third in points (13) in the 80-73 win over the Tigers. Youngblood shot 50 percent from the field (5-10) and pulled down five rebounds in his 11th appearance of the season. Saturday’s totals were his second-most points and rebounds in his first year with the Crimson Tide.

After a Cliff Omoruyi dunk to start the scoring for Alabama, the home team fell into a 7-2 hole. Youngblood scored seven unanswered points to give the Tide a lead, which it would hold for nearly 30 minutes (29:42). The 6-foot-4 guard also had both of UA’s blocked shots.

Youngblood missed the first nine games of Alabama’s 2024-25 season due to an ankle injury. The Tide’s NCAA transfer portal addition returned to action against Creighton and has logged double-digit minutes in every game since, scoring in double figures four times. The LSU game broke a streak of four consecutive games with multiple made 3-pointers.

Although new to the Alabama men’s basketball program, Youngblood has quickly become one of the 2024-25 team’s top leaders, and his unselfish approach is a big reason for that.

“He’s such a great kid, doesn’t care whether he starts, doesn’t start,” Oats said. “We’ve had a lot of really good kids come through this program, and he’s at the top of that list. He doesn’t really care whether he starts. He just wants impact winning. I thought he impacted winning tonight.”

Bringing Philon off the bench vs. LSU

With Youngblood starting, freshman guard Labaron Philon came off the bench against LSU. In his pregame interview with the Crimson Tide Sports Network, Oats revealed Philon tweaked his ankle in practice on Friday and would come off the bench against the Tigers.

While he wasn’t able to do much in Alabama’s final tuneup before Saturday’s game, Oats said the change also had to do with Philon’s play of late. Though the newcomer has “played great for us,” he has shot 30 percent or worse from the field in four of his last five games.

“I thought maybe playing him against the second unit – I mean … Holloway came off the bench, goes against some team’s second unit and he’s leading the league in field goal percentage and playing the best basketball of his career,” Oats said. “So I’ve done it in the past where we had three-time Sixth Man of the Year up in Buffalo, Nick Perkins, probably the best big in the league.

“So sometimes it helps a little bit. 

Oats continued, “The other deal is these guys that want to go play in the NBA, they’re going to have to learn how to play off the bench, come in, be a spark. Holloway’s figured it out pretty well. He’s been great for us. And he’s playing as well as anybody in our backcourt right now. I liked his spark off the bench. I said to Labaron, ‘Let’s try to do that with you.’

“The injury’s there, stay warm. I thought he played pretty well. I thought his attitude was great. He cheered his teammates on. He didn’t shoot it particularly well, but he went 6-of-6 at the line and three assists, one turnover. We needed his play. I thought he guarded well.”

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