Nate Oats explains the importance of getting Latrell Wrightsell, Rylan Griffen healthy

NS_headshot_clearbackgroundby:Nick Schultz•03/14/24•

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After clinching the double bye in the SEC Tournament, Alabama is getting ready to play its first game of the week in Nashville. With that extra time, the Crimson Tide’s focus has also been getting healthy.

Latrell Wrightsell returned to the lineup earlier this month after dealing with an injury, and he was “huge” in the season finale against Arkansas, which went to overtime. Alabama is also working to get Rylan Griffen back, as well, after suffering a calf injury.

Nate Oats seemed happy with how things went in practice on Thursday, and he said getting both players to 100% is crucial for the Crimson Tide offense. If Alabama can use a four-guard lineup Friday, he expressed confidence in the Tide’s ability to find its top gear.

“He means a lot,” Oats said of Wrightsell at halftime of Florida vs. Georgia. “You saw it when he was out, we dropped two of the four games he was out. Really, dropped a fifth one when he didn’t play much at Florida. I feel like he’s back, he’s practiced well. He’s super efficient. If you go on KenPom and look at player ratings, he’s the fourth highest-rated player in the country. He doesn’t turn the ball over, he makes open shots, he makes the offense go and he’s tough on defense. When we were playing four guards, we had the No. 1 offense in the country. Without him, it’s been hard to play four guards because you just don’t have the depth.

“Rylan looked good in practice today. If we can get Rylan back and him back, and we kind of go with those four, we’re hard to guard when you put those four guards out there together. You need him to do that, too.”

Wrightsell has appeared in 27 games this year, including nine starts, and ranks fifth on the Alabama roster in scoring. He’s averaging 9.1 points to go with 3.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals as a key piece of the Crimson Tide operation.

Griffen, meanwhile, is just ahead of him on the scoring list. He’s averaging 11.1 points through 30 starts while adding 3.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists, as well. Nate Oats called him a game-time decision ahead of the conference tournament, although it sounds like things are trending in the right direction.

Alabama will take the court for the first time in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on Friday night. The Tide will square off against the winner of Florida vs. Georgia.