Alabama Basketball’s Legacy of NBA Talent

The University of Alabama has grown a reputation for having an elite football program, but not enough is being said about what the basketball program is responsible for.

Out of the 35 alumni that played in the NBA, 3 of them went on to win NBA championship titles.

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Basketball at the UA has been making attempts to ascend among the other schools in the rankings of the NCAA, with 2023-2024 being the first year the program made a Final Four appearance. This program hopes to grow in popularity of sports on a campus that is led by football.

According to Sportingnews, there are at least 35 Alabama alumni who have played in an NBA game. 3 of those players are champions. Robert Horry, a former forward who has been a part of a championship team 7 times, is one of the more notable names in the bunch after playing alongside the late Kobe Bryant.

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Mo Williams, a former guard that played at Bama, is another name that stands out if you remember his stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is one of the few players who has gotten the chance to play with Lebron James as he was on the 2016 team that won the title.

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Although Alabama has this rep for being a football college, there are other sports that garner attention in Tuscaloosa.

The basketball program has been silently providing solid players for the NBA for years. Crimson Tide fans, if they keep their eyes open, can usually catch a glimpse of greatness inside Coleman Coliseum.