Latrell Wrightsell Jr. brings toughness to Alabama backcourt

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama basketball team received a commitment from guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr., a transfer from Cal State Fullerton, on April 23. The senior from Omaha, Neb., is one of eight newcomers that joined the Crimson Tide program this summer, including one of the four transfers that brings previous experience to the new-look basketball roster.

Speaking to reporters for the first time Thursday, Wrightsell detailed his decision to play at UA.

“I love the home environment here,” Wrightsell said. “Nate Oats is a great coach. He’s done a lot for me on and off the court with my family, helping me out, leading me in the right direction and also helping me get to being the player I want to be, obviously, to make the next step and this is the right step to make that next step to move on to what I want to do.”

Wrightsell played in 73 games before coming to Alabama. In 29 starts a year ago, he averaged a team-high 16.3 points, ranking sixth in the Big West, and added 2.4 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, a steals median that ranked fourth in the conference. He ranked third in the league in 3-point shot attempts per game (2.4) and shot 38.3 percent from three. 

Wrightsell was selected as an All-Big West Team member and was also named to the mid-major conference’s All-Tournament Team. Leading the Titans to a second straight Big West title game appearance, Wrightsell displayed his ability to score, generating 29 points against UC Riverside on Jan. 5, and defend, tallying a career-high seven steals versus CSU Bakersfield.

Now in Tuscaloosa, Wrightsell has been one of the first players off the bench in Alabama’s first three games and is fourth on the team in minutes played at 21.3 per game. He has recorded five steals, which is good for second-most behind Aaron Estrada, and has zero turnovers.

“He brings toughness, shot-making,” Oats said. “He gives you kind of a third handler. We like to play multiple guards. We put him and Sears and Estrada together some because they’re all tough, physical guards that can guard like that. He gives you some depth in the backcourt where you can play with the other two. You can play him in the rotation with those other two guys, kind of a three-man rotation at those two guard sports. He can play some one.”

Wrightsell is shooting 38.9 percent (7-of-18) from the field but 50 percent (5-of-10) from behind the 3-point line through the first three games. The one area Oats wants to see improvement is in finishing at the rim, as Wrightsell is 2-of-8 shooting from inside the arc and has yet to attempt a free-throw line entering the fourth game of the year. But the positives are plenty.

“He’s making shots at a high clip, and he can really, really be a tough defender,” Oats said. “He’s tough, physical, gritty. He’s who we kind of want our Blue Collar Basketball culture to be about. He’s all about that. We anticipate getting a couple good years out of him. He’s got the chance to have some really, really good games with how well he shoots it.”

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