Nate Oats sees similarities to Noah Clowney in Jarin Stevenson's game

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Nate Oats admitted his Alabama team experienced a little bit more roster turnover than he expected this offseason, but it is par for the course in college basketball.

He also said that had it not been for the massive turnover – the Crimson Tide lost eight players to the NBA draft, the transfer portal or graduation – some of the players on the 2023-24 roster might be elsewhere. He used freshman forward Jarin Stevenson as an example.

“Nobody really expected (Noah) Clowney to be gone after one year where he was up in between 21st pick in the draft,” Oats said Monday. “For us to be able to replace him with a guy like Jarin Stevenson – Jarin’s real similar to Clowney. If Clowney hadn’t left, we wouldn’t have been able to go get Jarin. Jarin was looking to be able to step in and play right away. Clowney going in the draft opened that up, plus, he saw what we did with Clowney. 

“So the success that we had with the players that we had leave helped open some doors in recruiting, and it really helped us with some current players and is going to help us with some players we’re recruiting in the 2024 class, as well.”

Clowney was the No. 21 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets this summer after one season at Alabama. The 6-foot-10, 210-pound freshman played in and started 36 of the Tide’s 37 games last year, averaging 9.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

Stevenson reclassified to the 2023 class, where he was ranked the nation’s No. 21 prospect in the On3 Industry Rankings, and joined the Alabama program this summer. UA lists the forward at 6-foot-11, 210 pounds after the 4-star recruit averaged 21.8 pounds, 11.7 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game in his final season of preps at Seaforth (N.C.) High School.

Oats said Stevenson had to do “a little rehab” for an injury that was discovered in the physical process but had been doing live work on the court after Labor Day. The true freshman – one of four on Alabama’s current roser – has “been great” as the Tide begins practicing.

The fifth-year head coach sees some of Clowney in Stevenson’s game and approach.

“He’s similar to Clowney,” Oats said. “Obviously, no two players are exactly alike. But they’re both 6-10, can both move on a perimeter, can both be great defensive players, and Jarin’s still learning the defensive system, as they all are, to be honest. But he’s a great kid. They’re real similar in that they’re both really coachable, want to be coached, great attitudes about them. Clowney shot it pretty well, and Jarin’s shooting it really well.”

Clowney was back in Tuscaloosa for the Alabama-Texas football game three weeks ago, and he caught up with his college coach. Clowney joked that if you eliminate his shooting slumps from a year ago with the Tide, he would have been a 40 percent shooter from 3-point range.

“Hopefully, Jarin doesn’t go through those long stretches and ends up shooting a little higher percentage than Noah did because he’s a really good shooter,” Oats said. “But they’re similar. I anticipate him being a huge part of what we’re doing. Just with 6-10, athletic, moves well, can play on the perimeter and shoot it, he’s exactly what we’re looking for in frontcourt.”

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