Crimson Tide guard Sears states for NBA Draft
Alabama’s roster and staff turnover following its historical men’s basketball season continued Saturday, with Mark Sears declaring for the NBA draft and the Crimson Tide closing in on an assistant coach hire.Sears ended up being Alabama’s fourth player to state for the NBA draft, however he is preserving his college eligibility and could go back to Tuscaloosa. He began all 37 games for the Crimson Tide this season, averaging 12.5 points and 2.6 assists. The 6-foot-1 guard started his profession at Ohio, earning first-team All-MAC honors as a sophomore in 2021-22 prior to transferring to Alabama.” I want to display my capability to play point player,”Sears told ESPN.”I have actually been playing point player all of my college profession up until now, and this year I found out how to play without the ball in my hands. I want to hear feedback on how NBA teams see me as a possible NBA prospect.”Editor’s Picks 2 Associated His decision follows that of Brandon Miller, Noah Clowney and
Charles Bediako
, who all already declared for the NBA draft. Miller and Clowney are projected first-round picks, with Miller forecasted to be the very first college player picked in June. Bediako is preserving his college eligibility and will likely return to Alabama.The deadline for players to withdraw from the NBA draft and go back to college is May 31. Alabama also has 2 players in the transfer portal, with part-time starter Jaden Bradley entering earlier today and Nimari Burnett announcing his commitment to Michigan following the end of the season.The program’s turnover hasn’t been limited to the lineup, either, with Nate Oats seeing all 3 of his assistants worked with as head coaches elsewhere this spring. Arkansas State worked with Bryan Hodgson and Georgia Southern tabbed Charlie Henry last month, while Kennesaw State made main its hiring of Antoine Pettway on Friday.Oats is surrounding his very first replacement, nevertheless. Alabama is expected to hire Nicholls State head coach Austin Claunch as an assistant coach, sources told ESPN on Saturday. Claunch was associated with a variety of head
training searches over the last 2 cycles, but the 33-year-old is in the procedure of completing a deal to join Oats ‘staff.He’s been coach at Nicholls State for 5 seasons, winning two Southland Conference regular-season titles and going 51-17 in conference play over the last 4 seasons.Alabama earned the program’s first-ever 1-seed this season, winning both the SEC regular-season and
conference competitions titles en route to being the overall 1-seed in the NCAA competition. The Crimson Tide went 31-6 prior to falling to San Diego State in the Sweet 16.