About eight months ago, Arizona freshman Brayden Burries was considering lending his talents to Alabama basketball.
In March, the 6-foot-4, 205-pound guard gushed to multiple outlets about how much he liked the Crimson Tide’s style of play. Getting out and running the floor. Hitting threes. Being surrounded by sharpshooters.
“Mark Sears is leaving, so they see me taking his spot,” Burries told 247Sports. That comment came before Labaron Philon Jr. had even declared for the NBA Draft in April, the same month that Burries put inked his commitment to Arizona.
Once in line to inherit the point from the All-American who took the Crimson Tide to its first Final Four, Burries was one of Alabama’s top prospects. One of the last chances the program had to add a 5-star to its 2025 recruiting class.
Granted Alabama’s rookie group of four 4-stars — Amari Allen, Davion Hannah, London Jemison and Collins Onyejiaka — has exceeded expectations, there’s no question as to whether Nate Oats wanted the California kid in that mix. All the while, he knew the battle he was up against.
“We gave it our best shot,” Oats said ahead of No. 12 Alabama’s C.M. Newton Classic showdown against top-ranked Arizona (8-0).
“It was gonna be hard to get him to leave the West Coast, and that’s what ended up happening. He stayed closer to home,” Oats continued.
At Arizona, Burries was given the starting nod at the top of the season and has cemented his place in the lineup with an average 11.3 points, 2.9 boards and 2.4 assists per game.
On Friday, Dec. 12, when asked if Burries has emerged as the player that he expected him to be, Oats believed that Lloyd would have a better answer because Alabama (7-2) would’ve had Burries operating in “a totally different system.” However, he eventually got down to the root of the question.
“When I watch him play, he’s playing hard. He seems like a great teammate. He’s tough. We’re worried about him because he’s a super talented player, and he’s a kid that can go off for 30 at any point,” Oats said.
Burries has yet to put together a 30-piece this season. His best scoring performance was 20 points against Denver, and in his most recent outing against Auburn, he dropped 16 points and five rebounds.
Oats knows, though. If Alabama doesn’t contain Burries, the first-year could reach a new personal best at Legacy Arena in Birmingham.
“Our guards are fully aware that he’s one of the most talented kids out there. I think eventually, at some point, he’s going to be a pro and they’ve got multiple guys that are going to play at the next level on the team,” Oats continued.
Alabama tips off against Arizona at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN, which can be streamed via Fubo, Sling and ESPN+.
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Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@usatodayco.com.
