Three recruits on Alabama basketball's wish list for 2022
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Alabama basketball has been dominant on the recruiting circuit over the past few seasons, foreshadowing what could be a bright future for the program. Nate Oats has one of the most enticing offers to show for in all of college basketball, holding similar concepts to those used in the NBA.
Today, we'll look at three prospects the Crimson Tide will have its eye on in the 2022 class.
Shaedon Sharpe, five-star shooting guard
Rivals rank: No. 20 overall, No. 5 shooting guard
Scouting report: Sharpe is one of the highest rising juniors, climbing 70 spots in the latest Rivals150. He averaged 13.0 points, 2.3 assists, and 3.7 rebounds at the FIBA U16 Championship in 2019. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound Canadian guard is a superb athlete who played for the same AAU program as current Alabama players, Joshua Primo and Keon Ambrose-Hylton.
Sharpe's athleticism is one of his biggest attributes. He has one of the best first steps in his class, holding incredible burst. He’s an absolute terror in transition and should fit into Oats’ system with ease. As an outside shooter, Sharpe lacks some consistency as his shot is far from polished. Although that doesn’t take anything away from his scoring upside as he creates strong separation on his jumper, possessing the handle to make difficult plays through a tight window or a dribble handoff. He's likely to be a secondary ball-handler but makes some quality decisions in the open court.
On the defensive end, Sharpe has the physical tools to be a positive contributor at the next level. He's a long-athlete who makes plays in help-side defense but struggles with consistent effort. He’s an impact shot blocker when his aggression level is up which can lead to highlight-reel moments.
Rivals national basketball analyst Rob Cassidy’s take: “Sharpe is a guy I’m excited to see on the circuit this offseason, and he’s added length and starting to really blow up from a recruitment standpoint. He’s long been high on Alabama, and the Tide will figure in until the end. Somewhat recent offers from Kentucky and Kansas could make things interesting.”
Rodney Rice, four-star point guard
Rivals rank: No. 77 overall, No. 21 point guard
Scouting report: Rice is a dynamic scorer who impacts the game in a multitude of facets. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound guard is valuable on and off the ball and is an elite shotmaker who is fluid from long-range. He is also one of the better movement shooters in his class. Alabama's rim-and-three philosophy should fit right into Rice's game. He's not the flashiest athlete but possesses some sneaky burst, opening up shots for teammates on dribble penetration opportunities. Speaking more on his court awareness, Rice shows strong poise in the pick-and-roll when facing a hard hedge or double team. He has the ideal size to play in a combo-guard role.
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