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Nate Oats grew up in the midwest and got his start as a college head coach at Buffalo, but the fit at Alabama has been seamless.
An Alabama program that reached the NCAA Tournament only twice in the 13 years prior to Oats' arrival has become a perennial power in the SEC, earning the No. 1 overall seed in 2023 and reaching the Final Four in 2024.
Oats oversees one of the nation's best offenses on a consistent basis with the Crimson Tide, keeping the engine running even when stars leave the program.
Off the court, however, there have been some shortcomings, including a saga in 2023 that might have played a role in March disappointment when Alabama had national championship hopes.
Here's a look at Alabama's timeline of trouble under Oats, from the 2023 murder case to Aden Holloway's arrest in 2026.
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Darius Miles charged with murder
Jan. 16, 2023: Darius Miles, an Alabama forward at the time, was charged with capital murder during the 2022-23 season. Miles had only played 39 minutes before his arrest, though he averaged 17.2 minutes per game off the bench in 2021-22 and was in his third season with the program.
Miles was charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Jamea Harris, though he is not accused of pulling the trigger. Miles' friend Michael Davis, also charged with capital murder in the case, was convicted in 2025. Davis was found guilty of shooting and killing Harris from another vehicle in what was believed to be a shootout with Harris' boyfriend.
Miles is accused of giving the gun directly to Davis, which prompted a capital murder charge under Alabama law. Miles is still awaiting trial.
"It's a tragedy all around. Wish it hadn't happened," Oats told reporters after Miles' arrest, adding that he was communicating with Miles' mother.
HISTORY OF UPSETS BY SEED:
16 vs. 1 | 15 vs. 2 | 14 vs. 3 | 13 vs. 4 | 12 vs. 5
Brandon Miller's involvement in murder case
Feb. 21, 2023: More than a month after Miles' arrest, police testified that Brandon Miller — at the time, one of the top players in the country — brought the gun used in the murder to the scene.
A Tuscaloosa detective claimed Miller supplied the gun after receiving a text from Miles, though Miller's lawyer claimed his client never touched the gun and wasn't aware of any intent from Miles or Davis. The gun was retrieved from Miller's car before the shooting.
Miller was never charged with a crime, as prosecutors said there was no indication of intent and no way to bring charges.
Oats received criticism for his response to the testimony. "We knew about that. Can’t control everything anybody does outside of practice. Nobody knew that was going to happen," Oats told reporters. "College kids are out, Brandon hasn’t been in any type of trouble nor is he in any type of trouble in this case. Wrong spot at wrong time."
Oats later apologized for his comments, calling them "unfortunate."
Miller was never suspended by Alabama, a decision that also drew some criticism; he scored 41 points in an overtime win in his first game following the revelations but struggled in the NCAA Tournament as the Tide suffered a Sweet 16 exit.
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Nate Oats shoves Missouri's Aidan Shaw
Jan. 16, 2024: Oats shoved Missouri's Aidan Shaw during a win over the Tigers, after a brief scuffle between Anthony Robinson II and Alabama's Aaron Estrada. When Shaw confronted Estrada, Oats got involved and made contact with the Missouri forward.
After the game, Oats apologized. "I apologized to both coach Gates and Aidan Shaw," Oats told reporters. "Aidan seems like a great kid. It's an unfortunate situation, but I apologized to both of them."
Oats wasn't suspended, but SEC commissioner Greg Sankey called his actions "unacceptable" while Missouri coach Dennis Gates said Oats should have been called for a technical foul.
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Aden Holloway arrested on drug charge
Mar. 16, 2026: Less than 24 hours after Alabama received a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, second-leading scorer Aden Holloway was arrested for possession of marijuana not for personal use and failure to affix a tax stamp. Both are felony charges in Alabama.
A police search found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in Holloway's residence. Holloway's lawyer claims it was strictly for personal use, but the junior guard was charged with possession not for personal use.
After the arrest, Oats told reporters Holloway would remain away from the team will going through the university's investigative process. "Look, we've got standards in our program," Oats said. "We've got ways we've held our guys accountable, and we try to keep everything in house. Obviously, some of the situations, you can't. This is one of those."
Holloway did not play in NCAA Tournament wins over Hofstra or Texas Tech and does not appear close to returning to the team.
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