Alabama basketball continues to build for the future, securing a commitment from former NC State forward Cole Cloer. The 6-foot-7 prospect, who entered the transfer portal after a lost freshman season, adds intriguing size and potential to Nate Oats’s frontcourt for the 2026 campaign.

Cloer’s path to Tuscaloosa has a familiar feel. During his initial recruitment, Alabama was a finalist, with Cloer praising Oats’s NBA-style, up-tempo system as an ideal fit for his game. Now, after a year at NC State, he gets the chance to finally suit up for the Crimson Tide.

His freshman year was derailed before it began, as a knee injury in practice forced him to miss the entire season. This setback followed a significant back injury—four fractured vertebrae—suffered during AAU play before his senior year at IMG Academy. His health and recovery will be a major storyline as he integrates into the roster.

A highly-touted recruit from Hillsborough, North Carolina, Cloer was the state’s top player. Despite growing up just minutes from Chapel Hill, his family’s NC State fandom initially won out. His addition now boosts Alabama’s 2026 transfer class to a national ranking of 19th, according to 247Sports, signaling the program's aggressive reloading in the portal era.