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Nate Oats adds NBA assistant coach to 2025-26 Alabama staff

1918632_10206777287683070_1367905321192383146_nby: Charlie Potter05/21/25Charlie_Potter
Chris Fleming, Alabama
Chris Fleming (David Banks / Imagn Images)

Alabama head coach Nate Oats has completed his staff for the 2025-26 season.

Oats has hired Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach Chris Fleming as his third assistant coach, the school’s NIL collective, Yea Alabama, announced. Fleming joins Preston Murphy and Brian Adams as full-time assistant coaches for the Alabama men’s basketball program.

This marks the third straight offseason Oats has brought in an assistant from the NBA ranks. Fleming will replace Ryan Pannone, who landed the Arkansas State head coaching job.

Fleming has spent the past 10 seasons in the NBA, most recently working with the Trail Blazers for the 2024-25 season. Before his most recent stop, Fleming spent five seasons (2019-24) as an assistant for the Chicago Bulls after working three seasons (2016-19) as an assistant for the Brooklyn Nets. His NBA career started with the Denver Nuggets in 2015-16.

A native of New Jersey, Fleming’s coaching career began where his playing career ended – Germany. He was a head coach there for 14 years, including as the head coach of Germany’s national team from 2014-18. Fleming guided Brose Baskets Bamberg to four German League championships and was named the German League Coach of the Year in 2011. He also won four German Cup championships and three German Supercup titles.

Fleming played college basketball for the University of Richmond Spiders from 1989-93. He played professionally for Quakenbrücker TSV from 1994-2000 before getting into coaching.

Working under Oats at Alabama will be Fleming’s first stint at the collegiate level.

*** This story will be updated.

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