Jay Williams expresses "worry" for Nate Oats' Alabama citing potential NIL impact & increased attention

Nate Oats and the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide have continued their momentum as one of the best teams in the SEC and the country. However, basketball analyst Jay Williams has his concerns.

Williams made his concerns known on Saturday during ESPN's College GameDay show. He understands they have the coaching staff and the personnel to be successful, considering the Final Four run they made in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

"As you become more successful individuals, with NIL deals and attention, I think that attention can affect the team, and how they’re moving forward," Williams said.

"Look, I got a chance to watch practice. Nate Oats talked a lot about, ‘Hey, last year when GameDay came here, we lost, and then we went on the road and we lost again, and we have to have a sense of urgency.’ I know Mizzou is a really good basketball team, but it was that sense of urgency that I was looking for in that game."

He continued:

“Now, they could bounce back, but I think ultimately it comes down to, how do they compete? And defensively, you know, do they find the right matchups in the NCAA Tournament? But it is something I’m worried about for Alabama.”

How Nate Oats, Alabama played against Kentucky

While Jay Williams expressed concern over Nate Oats and the No. 4 Crimson Tide, Saturday's win over the No. 17 Kentucky Wildcats signaled that they aren't satisfied yet.

It was a back-and-forth affair between the two sides, but Alabama did enough to pull away and secure a 96-83 victory over Kentucky. The home side was efficient with their shots, making 52% of their attempts from the field and 36% of their tries from beyond the arc. The visitors went 43% and 35% in those categories, respectively.

Mark Sears had a dominant night for the Crimson Tide, finishing with 30 points, four rebounds and four assists on 8-of-17 shooting. Aden Holloway came next with 19 points and four rebounds, Chris Youngblood put up 14 points and two assists, while Clifford Omoruyi provided a double-double of 11 points and 15 rebounds.

The win improved Alabama to a 22-5 overall record, including an 11-3 showing in SEC Play. They put up 90.8 points on shooting splits of 48.4% overall and 34.2% from downtown, beating teams by 10.4 points per game.

Nate Oats and the No. 4 Crimson Tide will prepare for their next ranked matchup. They host the No. 21 Mississippi State Bulldogs at the Coleman Coliseum on Feb. 25 at 9 p.m. ET.