Alabama basketball added another big man to its roster Wednesday as it received a commitment from West Virginia transfer Mohamed Wague. The 6-foot-10, 215-pound center averaged 4.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 10.7 minutes of action for the Mountaineers last season and will add depth to the Crimson Tide’s revamped frontcourt.

Wague is Alabama’s eighth offseason addition and the third big to commit to the Tide in the past two weeks, joining North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson and four-star recruit Jarin Stevenson. Let’s dive into the film room to see what Alabama is getting in the Bronx, New York native who has two years of eligibility remaining.

Wague’s offensive package is rather simple. He is a long, athletic big man who excels in transition and provides value as a vertical lob threat from the dunker spot.

Though projected starting center Nick Pringle is the more effective finisher of the two, Wague’s offensive role and shot profile will be akin to the 6-foot-9 senior on the second unit.

Wague took one shot outside of the paint and zero 3-pointers in his 297 minutes last season, which’s eerily similar to Pringle.

Wague is a worker on the offensive glass, as seen in this compilation. He has impressive timing on rebounds, boxes out well, and consistently makes the blue-collar plays Nate Oats desires in his program.

Wague’s 19.5% offensive rebound rate, ranked fourth among high-major players, trailing Zach Edey, Oscar Tshiebwe, and Donovan Clingan, albeit in significantly fewer minutes.

Additionally, 33.8% of Wague’s field-goal attempts (21 of 62) came on offensive rebounds with only 16.1% of them coming on designed post-ups (10 of 62).

The concerning part about his offensive profile is his tendency to rack up offensive fouls and turnovers. He often struggles to put the ball on the floor and he’s susceptible to charges when he does.

The biggest reason why Wague became such a priority for Alabama is his defensive versatility.

His length, instincts and quick feet give him a ton of coverage versatility on defense as he can switch, blitz ball screens, defend at the level of the screen, and provide value with his rim protection.

Let’s focus on one of these plays.

On this possession, Wague was defending Florida's Riley Kugal, a potential NBA lottery pick, in isolation. Kugel attempted to burn Wague with a left-to-right crossover, but the West Virginia big didn't flinch and positioned himself for a charge.

As for the negatives, Wague’s foul tendencies will likely keep him from playing major minutes – not that it is his role regardless.

Last season, he committed more fouls per 40 minutes (9.0) than any other high-major player, but that’s ultimately what comes with his skillset. He is at his best when he’s flying around the court, taking risks, and playing at max aggressiveness.

A good defensive comparison for Wague is former Arizona center Christian Koloko, who earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year before being selected in the second round of the 2022 NBA draft. Koloko was always a solid defender but took his game to another level during his third collegiate season, something Alabama hopes Wague will replicate over the coming year.

Overall, Wague has the most valuable defensive archetype on the Crimson Tide's roster and will add much-needed enforcement for Alabama in the front court. He’s not the most skilled offensive player, but neither was Charles Bediako, who started the past two seasons before leaving for the NBA.

Ultimately, it’s just a matter of filling the gaps for the Crimson Tide’s premier shot creators on the outside.

Starters

G – Aaron Estrada, senior

G – Mark Sears, senior

G – Rylan Griffen, sophomore

F – Grant Nelson, senior

C – Nick Pringle, senior

Top-end bench

G – Latrell Wrightsell Jr., senior

G – Davin Cosby, redshirt freshman

F – Jarin Stevenson, freshman

C – Mohamed Wague, junior

Depth pieces

G – Kris Parker, freshman

F – Sam Walters, freshman

F – Mo Dioubate, freshman