Alabama basketball’s 2023 class has already yielded plenty of promise this season.

Jarin Stevenson earned his first career start against Florida earlier this week and has scored in double figures five times off the bench. Sam Walters is coming off a 14-point performance where he drilled four 3s to help the Crimson Tide down the Gators 98-93 in overtime. He’s also shooting a team-high 45.2 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Mo Dioubate is also in the midst of a solid debut campaign, providing some much-needed muscle off the bench.

However, one member of Alabama’s most recent recruiting haul is still waiting for his time in the spotlight.

This fall, the Crimson Tide decided to redshirt Kris Parker, allowing him to bulk up for the college level. While that’s seen the Rivals100 prospect slip under the radar, he’s still progressing nicely behind the scenes.

When asked about Parker on Friday, Nate Oats said the freshman is “coming along,” stating that he has been able to add more weight to his previously lanky frame.

“He’s gotten a lot better,” Oats said. “He’s a much better defender, he’s using his athleticism. He's becoming a better shooter. That’s the one area that he's really got to work hard on in the offseason, but he has become better. He's just getting better every day in practice, and he's a great kid.”

Oats said Parker would be able to help Alabama with its depth at the moment. However, part of the agreement to redshirt him involved the promise that the team wouldn’t change its mind and burn a year of his eligibility.

Instead, Parker is helping the Tide by serving as one of the top scout-team players in the nation.

“Just helping the guys out and do what I can to help them out,” Parker said of his role earlier this week during an appearance on the Crimson Tide Sports Network’s “Hey Coach” radio show. “I use it as a tool to get them better, but I need to stay sharp myself.”

Parker’s teammates might even argue that the four-star guard gives them a little better look than they bargained for heading into games.

“They get a little frustrated,” Parker said with a smile. “They’ll be going halfway, 50%, and I’m going 100% all the time.”

Parker signed with Alabama as the No. 88 overall player and No. 16 shooting guard in last year’s class. The Tallahassee, Florida native is listed at 6-foot-9, 195 pounds on the team’s official roster. Earlier this week, he told CTSN that he’s hoping to get up to 220 pounds by next season.