Nate Oats explains why he does not feel the need to chase a blue blood coaching job

In a past era, Nate Oats might still not be at Alabama with all the successes he has had through seven seasons in Tuscaloosa. However, in this era, and what all the athletic department is putting into his program, Oats doesn’t see why he would have to be anywhere but a place like ‘Bama.

In an interview with Jon Rothstein on Friday, Oats was asked about the dynamic now in college basketball of not having to necessarily be at a blue blood job. He agreed, using his team as an example based on what it has achieved, and what it is still planning to do.

“Yeah, I think there’s a lot of truth to that, because we’ve proven you can win here,” Oats said. “You know, Preston (Murphy) is doing the bulk of the recruiting here for us, and he calls us a new blood. Which, that’s fine. I don’t care what you call us, but we’re one of the best college basketball programs in the country over the last five years, so. And, they’ve got the resources here. We’re building – it’s right there and you can see it from where I’m sitting – a brand new practice facility, office space. It’s going to be, I think, the best in the country. I’ve seen a lot. I don’t think there’s going to be a better one. So, like, if it’s, you know, building, NIL, rev-share, all that stuff? Like, it’s at a high level, and we’ve been able to win at the highest level.

“You know, like I said…if you look at the last five years, we’ve won more SEC games, we’ve won more championships – we’ve got four, two regular season and two tournaments. Nobody has won four. Somebody has won three. Somebody has won two. Nobody has won four, and nobody has won more games than us. So, I don’t think I have to leave to go to a blue blood, per se.”

The proof is there in the resumé, having gone through several changes in the sport in that time too, for Oats. Since his arrival in 2019, the Tide are 152-65 (.700) overall, having the best win percentage of any coach in school history who has been tenured as long as he has. That includes being 75-33 (.694) in conference play in the SEC.

That mark has earned Alabama a ranking in the Top 10 of the AP Poll at some point of each season the past six years. Oats also has among the most tournament successes of any coach in program history, with four titles in the Southeastern Conference as well as five appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Oats has taken Alabama to three berths in the Sweet 16, two in the Elite Eight, and Alabama’s only ever appearance in the Final Four.

With those accomplishments, Oats would have been a prime candidate to leave for another college job. He has been in various searches over the past few years. That even extends to the next level, with a thought that he could be a name that could one day be in the NBA. But, for the time being, Alabama is where he has remains.