Nate Oats wanted Alabama fans to know he wasn’t going anywhere.
The Alabama coach’s name has been named as one of the candidates to replace Kentucky’s John Calipari after it was reported late Sunday night that the Wildcats coach is finalizing a five-year deal to take over as head coach at Arkansas. It was surfacing.
But Oates stopped speculating. Monday’s statementtold fans, “I gave my all to this team and this university.”
“We have already accomplished some great things here, and there is nothing I want more than for the University of Alabama to win its first national championship in men’s basketball,” Oats said in a statement. “Rest assured that despite rumors to the contrary, I will continue that pursuit as head coach.”
Rumors about Oats and Kentucky continued Monday, but the $18 million buyout attached to the Alabama coach could complicate his pursuit.
Still, it didn’t seem all that convincing, and the commitment to Alabama may not have been as strong as Oats claimed.
Oats had “serious interest” in the Wildcats’ coaching vacancy before the Alabama boosters “stepped up significantly to avoid having to look elsewhere.” The Athletic reported.
Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne We also reconfirmed the program’s efforts. To Oates, he said in a statement, pushing for the university’s NIL entity, “Yes, Alabama.”
Oats has become one of the sport’s up-and-coming coaches after a stellar first five years in Tuscaloosa.
He led Alabama to a 117-54 record, two SEC championships, four NCAA Tournament appearances and this year’s first Final Four appearance in program history.
