Alabama men’s basketball coach Nate Oats said Monday he’s “fully committed” to the team and school amid reports that Oats would be a candidate for Kentucky’s opening.
“We have already accomplished some great things here, and there is nothing I want more than for The University of Alabama to win its first national championship in men’s basketball,” Oats wrote in a statement posted on X. “Despite any rumors to the contrary, rest assured that I will continue that pursuit as your head coach.”
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Oats’ statement comes a day after Sunday’s news that longtime Kentucky coach John Calipari is nearing a deal for the same job at Arkansas.
Oats, 49, has a 117-54 record over five seasons with the Crimson Tide. He has led Alabama to four NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program’s first Final Four appearance this year — an 86-72 loss to the No. 1 UConn Huskies.
Alabama’s success under Oats led leadership to reach a long-term extension with the coach last month. That contract made Oats one of the five highest-paid coaches in the country, according to ESPN.
“We are excited about the success of our men’s basketball program and Nate’s continued commitment to the university,” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said in a statement at the time. “We look forward to him leading our men’s basketball program for many years to come.”
The Crimson Tide have achieved a pair of SEC regular season championships (2021, 2023) and SEC Tournament championships (2021, 2023) under Oats. They went 25-12 this past season.
Prior to Oats’ arrival in 2019, Alabama hadn’t advanced past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 2004. The Crimson Tide won a school-record 31 games under Oats in 2022-23 and they were an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed for the first time in program history.
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(Photo: Jordan Prather / USA Today)