"We played pickup at least 3 days a week": Nick Saban once discussed playing basketball at Alabama

Nick Saban was successful in leading the Crimson Tide to six national championships during his 17-season stint. Apart from his success with other programs, Coach Saban is considered to be the one to bring Alabama on the road to success in modern college football.

But apart from his football achievements, Nick Saban also enjoyed spending time on the court playing basketball. During an interview with Charles Barkley in 2016, the retired head coach talked about his own secret pickup NBA; the noontime basketball league.

Saban explained to Charles Barkley the rules of this pickup basketball game he played with his coaching staff during the offseason. He stated that he would be the one to choose the teams and he would also choose the person who would be guarding him on the court.

"We play from signing day until we start spring practice. We play pickup, at least three days a week. But I'm the commissioner of the league now. You know, at my age, I get to pick my team, and then I pick the guy on the other team who guards me," Saban said.

Nick Saban also shared a hilarious memory about when former Alabama basketball head coach Avery Johnson joined the program.

"When Avery came here, you know I know he played 13 years as a point guard," Saban said. "But when he came in I said, 'Look, If you want to play noontime basketball with us, you're gonna have to move over off the ball cause I'm the point guard. You're gonna have to play the two guard.'"

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Alabama QB Jalen Milroe reveals biggest lesson he learned from Nick Saban

In his final campaign in Tuscaloosa last season, Coach Saban put his faith in Jalen Milore as the starting quarterback of the team. Milore did not disappoint as he led them to an SEC Championship and a playoff berth. Unfortunately, Coach Saban could not add another natty to his trophy cabinet before retirement as Alabama was eliminated by Michigan in the playoffs.

Now, as Jalen Milroe returns as the QB1 of the team for the 2024 season, he needs to prove his worth under new head coach Kalen DeBoer. During a recent appearance on ESPN's "Get Up," Milroe revealed the most important thing he learned from Coach Saban during his time in Tuscaloosa.

"There's so many things I learned from Coach Saban and it's hard to narrow down one. But I was to choose one, I say trust the process. Every process is different when it comes to just trusting your journey," Milroe said. "There are times of self doubt, there's times when you have to push through hard circumstances and throughout that time, never waiver from that."

Alabama is gearing up for its first season in the last 17 years without Nick Saban guiding them on the gridiron. It will be interesting to see if his successor Kalen DeBoer can carry forward the legacy he built in Tuscaloosa during his stint.