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Summary:
- Aden Holloway was arrested on felony drug charges and removed from the team before the NCAA tournament
- Nate Oats says Alabama will prepare to play without him while supporting the player
- Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball now faces added pressure ahead of its opener vs. Hofstra
Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball is heading into the 2026 NCAA tournament with a major question mark after losing one of its top players just days before tip-off.
Head coach Nate Oats confirmed that the team is preparing to move forward without guard Aden Holloway, who was arrested Monday morning on felony drug charges.
According to a team spokesperson, Holloway has been “removed from campus” and is no longer with the group ahead of Friday’s opening game against Hofstra Pride men’s basketball.
Authorities say more than a pound of marijuana, along with paraphernalia and cash, was found at a residence during a search conducted by the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force.
The 21-year-old, who was taken into custody and later released on a $5,000 bond, is currently facing two felony charges. One of them is first-degree drug possession, which can carry serious penalties in Alabama.
“We Had to Suspend Him, We’re Certainly Disappointed”
Oats addressed the situation in his radio show, speaking about the “standards” in their program and the methods they use to hold players “accountable”.
We try to keep everything in-house, obviously some of the situations you can’t, and this is one of those. We found out about what was going on this morning, I found out this morning. I guess it all went down this morning. And we had to suspend him pending the investigation. We’re certainly disappointed in his behavior. But that being said, we still love him, he’s still our guy. We’re helping him get the help that he needs and we’re going to continue to help him whatever way we can. But as far as our team goes, I thought we had a great practice, we’re preparing to play without him this weekend.
Worst Timing Possible
The timing could hardly be worse, with Holloway being one of Alabama’s most important players this season, with an average of 16.8 points per game. His absence will undoubtedly leave a noticeable gap in an offense that has been among the most productive in the country.
Plus, with Holloway out, Labaron Philon Jr. is expected to play a bigger role as the team adjusts.
Oats acknowledged the emotional impact on the locker room but stressed the need to move forward.
While at the same time, Aden is one of our guys and everybody wants to wrap their arms around and love him. Everybody makes mistakes in life, but they also understand, we’ve got to move on and we’ve got a whole other group of guys and the team’s got to go play Friday
Can Alabama cope without Holloway? Will Holloway’s young career survive this hit? Get all the odds and more with US Sportsbooks
