"I’d like to win one here": Nate Oats stays loyal to Alabama, rejects blue-blood offers to chase national title glory 

Alabama coach Nate Oats has rejected lucrative offers from blue-blood schools and the NBA to stay with the Crimson Tide, believing he can win a national championship while calling the plays in Tuscaloosa.

Oats explained his loyalty to Alabama on an episode of the "College Hoops Today" podcast with Jon Rothstein. Oats said he wants to build on the foundation he established when he was appointed in 2019 and he feels he is bound for glory in the coming years after making it to four straight NCAA Tournaments, including a Final Four run last season.

"I, personally, I’d like to win one here," Oats said via On3.com. "I’d like to stay here. You know, we’ve built this thing in the last five years to a pretty special program."

The Crimson Tide coach also weighed on the advantages and disadvantages of accepting those offers. He stood firm by his belief that winning in Alabama — a well-renowned college football program — is more special than winning in other schools where basketball is at the top of their priorities.

"I think it's a little more special to win the first and make it to the first Final Four, have a chance to win the first national championship at a school than it would be to win multiple ones," Oats said.

To meet this goal, Oats assembled a loaded team this season, with returning Mark Sears leading the charge alongside veterans Grant Nelson and Latrell Wrightsell. Alabama also acquired transfer players Clifford Omoruyi, Aden Holloway and Chris Youngblood and recruited highly-rated prospects Derrion Reed, Aiden Sherrell and Labaron Philon.

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Nate Oats continues to build on his coaching legacy

Nate Oats has built on an impressive resume from his first coaching stint at Buffalo. He helped the Bulls enter three out of four NCAA Tournaments during his tenure and compiled a 96-43 record before accepting the job at 'Bama in 2019.

He continued his magic with Alabama and went 117-54 amid tough competition in the SEC. Last season, Oats guided the Crimson Tide to the Final Four, beating ACC schools Clemson and North Carolina, which was the top seed in the West Region, before coming back to Earth with a loss to UConn.

Nate Oats pledged to keep on persevering to achieve his objective of becoming the seventh sport in Alabama to win a national title.

"I’d like to continue to knock on that door, win a national championship here, and keep doing what we’re doing," he added.

Alabama opens the college basketball season with two exhibition games against Wake Forest (Oct. 18) and Memphis (Oct. 28) before opening the 2024-25 campaign against UNC Asheville at home on Nov. 4.

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Will Nate Oats finally guide Alabama to its first national basketball title this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.