Former Alabama Basketball Stars Chime in on Nate Oats

Three months ago, Nate Oats became the 21st head coach in Alabama men's basketball history and charged with task of building a competitor in the Southeastern Conference and nationally.

Two players who played on SEC championship teams provided their thoughts on first-year Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats. During his visit on Inside the Locker Room, former Alabama Jim Farmer talked about his visit to Tuscaloosa for Nate Oats's camp and what he saw from their offseason practice.

"It's one of the hardest practices I've seen at Alabama, no doubt." Farmer said.

The former Crimson Tide guard elaborated on what he liked most about the practices.

"Every drill they did was full court. Everything they implemented was a full-court drill to continue to work on conditioning and pushing the ball. They're going to get up and down the floor. They're playing really hard. They're going at each other." Farmer said.

Farmer noted a fundamental aspect as to what he saw as the result of every drill in practice.

"Everything was about winning and losing. Every drill they did had a winner or a loser, and there was a consequence. Even if you won the drill or won the three-on-three or whatever they were doing, it wasn't over with. One of your players had to go up and knock down a free throw or there was a consequence." Farmer said. "Everything had a winner and a loser, and there was a consequence if you lost."

Following Farmer's appearance on Inside the Locker Room, former Alabama guard Erwin Dudley reflected on his basketball career and gave his thoughts on Nate Oats at Alabama on The Gary Harris Show.

Like Farmer, Dudley has been able to see some of Alabama's off-season practices and provided some of his thoughts on the direction of Alabama basketball under Oats.

"It's definitely going to be a different Alabama basketball team this year. They're definitely going to be up-and-down. They're definitely going to get a lot of shots. He's been preaching and talking to the guys about fundamentals, taking care of the ball and working on your fundamentals." Dudley said.

To listen to the rest of the conversations with Jim Farmer and Erwin Dudley, click the video links above.

Inside the Locker Room airs each weekday from 7-9 AM while The Gary Harris Show airs from 9-11 AM on Tide 102.9/100.9 and the Tide 102.9 app.