Chris Youngblood update: Alabama guard expected to make debut vs. Creighton

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Chris Youngblood is expected to make his Alabama debut on Saturday.

The Crimson Tide guard suffered an ankle injury in the preseason that required surgery and missed the first nine games of the year. But Nate Oats said he could play against Creighton.

“Chris has practiced in still a limited role. We haven’t had him do everything,” Oats said. “But I would anticipate him getting some minutes. It’s not just whether his ankle’s right. He hasn’t gone hard, so his whole body’s gotta get ready to play. He had a little bit of a hiccup (on Thursday), but he was able to go some today. 

“As long as he recovers from today alright, I would anticipate him playing limited minutes tomorrow.”

Youngblood transferred to Alabama this offseason after spending the 2023-24 season at South Florida. The Tuscaloosa native was named the American Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Year after leading the Bulls to their first-ever, regular-season conference title with a 25-8 record. Playing in all 33 games – with 32 starts – Youngblood averaged a team-high 15.3 points along with 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He scored in double figures in 27 games and shot 41.6 percent from three-point range and 45.8 percent from the field.

Before USF, Youngblood spent the first three years of his college career at Kennesaw State. The 6-foot-4, 223-pound guard chose to return to Tuscaloosa for his final year of eligibility and enrolled at Alabama as the nation’s No. 38 transfer and No. 11 small forward, per On3.

Youngblood will make his Alabama debut two games after the Tide lost veteran guard Latrell Wrightsell to a season-ending Achilles injury. Youngblood’s perimeter shooting can help to minimize the loss – Youngblood’s career 3-point percentage is 39.4 percent, while Wrightsell shot 38.6. The fifth-year senior will join an Alabama backcourt also featuring Mark Sears, Labaron Philon and fellow transfers Aden Holloway and Houston Mallette.

Although Youngblood has been on the bench for the first nine games, his voice has still been effective from a leadership standpoint and will be even louder when he gets on the court.

“He’s been a great leader, whether he’s been on or off the floor,” Oats said. “It’s easier to lead when you’re on the floor because you’re in the middle of all the action. His leadership has been great. He’s ultra-competitive. He’s a veteran. He’s taken a program at Kennesaw from one win to winning the league to following his coach to South Florida and winning there.

“He’s from Tuscaloosa originally so a big Alabama fan. But I love having him in the program, even when he hasn’t been able to play in games. I think he makes everybody better. His intensity level, his toughness, his IQ. And he’s gonna obviously be rusty. What we see tomorrow is not gonna be what we see against Oklahoma when SEC play starts, but you’ve gotta start somewhere and start playing.

“We’ll hopefully get him in some minutes tomorrow and then let him kind of build from here over these next four games before we hit SEC play.”

Alabama will face Creighton in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m. (SEC Network).

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