Alabama basketball inks three-player signing class
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama basketball officially announced its 2018 signing class Monday as the Crimson Tide received National Letters of Intent from three players.
The incoming freshman class includes four-star guard Jared Butler, three-star guard Diante Wood and unranked forward Javian Fleming. Alabama’s class is ranked No. 59 in the nation and seventh in the SEC.
"We are so honored to have all three of these student-athletes join the Crimson Tide family," Alabama head coach Avery Johnson said in a statement released by the university. "It has been a pleasure to get to know them and their families throughout the recruiting process. All three of these young men have strong character, great competitive spirit and are extremely coachable. They are going to be great assets to our Tuscaloosa community.
"Our staff has been on the same page in terms of our future needs when it comes to a specific skill set in order to compete in the SEC and on a national level. This class may not be ranked as high or get the recognition that our 2017 signing class received, but we certainly feel this group will make a similar type of impact and will be major contributors for our program."
All three players come from the South, with Wood as the lone in-state signing joining Butler (Reserve, La.) and Fleming (Canton, Miss.). Thirteen of the 15 players on Alabama’s current roster hail from SEC territory. While Johnson said it’s important to take advantage of regional talent, he stated he also wants to make sure he is signing the “right players” to his program.
“We have a vision in terms of where we wanted to be here in Year 3 but also years four and five,” Johnson said during his news conference Monday. “I think those players that are in our footprint... we want those kids to be a part of our program. But we played exhibition games in Canada for a reason. We think at one point our tentacles are going to spread more than our footprint, and we’re prepared to do that.”
Butler is viewed as the prize of the group. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound guard is rated as the No. 124 player in the nation. During his junior season, he averaged 20.4 points and 6.7 assists per game, leading Riverside Academy to the Division III select semifinals. This year, he was named a 2A first-team all-state point guard by the Louisiana Sportswriters Association. Butler played for the Mississippi Express in the Nike EYBL and averaged 13.6 points, 4.4 assists and 4 rebounds over 16 games. He chose Alabama over offers from Texas, Virginia, Baylor, Southern California, Wichita State and others.
"We had Jared ranked as one of the top players on our board at the point guard position," Johnson said in a release distributed by the university. "We feel he is someone who is going to have the ability to come in and make a big impact on both ends of the floor from day one. He has great leadership skills, is a very smart player and we feel he has a very high ceiling. He comes from a great family with his mother Juanea and father Richard, and we couldn't be more thrilled to welcome them to the Alabama basketball family."
Wood is viewed as one of the top players in the state of Alabama, coming to the Crimson Tide from Sacred Heart Catholic School in Anniston, Ala. The 6-foot-4, 175-pound guard helped lead his high school team to three consecutive 1A state titles, becoming just the ninth program in AHSAA history to win three consecutive 1A state titles.
He was named the Class 1A Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017 and also earned the Most Valuable Player award at the state tournament the past two seasons. During his junior season, Wood averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He signed with Alabama over offers from Iowa State, Wichita State, Auburn and Arkansas, among others.
"Diante is a wing who is a great defender and can defend multiple positions," Johnson said in the release. "He is a terrific slasher to the basket and has really improved his jump shot. He's a winner and has led his team to multiple state championships, something we hope will continue with him at the University of Alabama. We are thrilled to welcome him and his parents, Chris and Alina Wood, to our family."
Fleming is the lone big man in the class. The 6-foot-9, 230-pound power forward comes to Alabama from Canton High School in Mississippi. During his junior season, he averaged 16.2 points, 10 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. As a sophomore, he recorded 14.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. Fleming was selected to play in the 2017 Mississippi North/South All-Star game where he was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player with 18 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. He chose Alabama over offers from Cincinnati, Georgetown, Iowa State and Texas A&M, among others.
"Javian is a good-looking power forward who can face up or play with his back to the basket," Johnson said in the release. "He has very quick feet for a big man and possesses the ability to shoot. He will be able to defend multiple positions, which is a great asset to have on any team. We would like to welcome his mother, Kajwana, and his brother, Jamarion, as a part of our family."