Nate Oats Gives Timeline on Alabama Basketball Practice Facility

If you live around Tuscaloosa, Alabama, it's hard not to notice the construction taking place next to Coleman Coliseum.

The project is Alabama men's and women's basketball's new practice facility, and its been in the works for quite some time. Mike Rodgers, the assistant vice chancellor for construction management shared on April 3 that the budget for the project dropped from over $59 million to $54.6 million due to "very favorable bids."

As the Crimson Tide's 2025-26 basketball season nears, men's head coach Nate Oats shared the timeline for when his practice facility should be complete.

"I would think the whole thing would be enclosed with the exterior walls up within the next month," Oats said on The Sideline With Andy Katz on Thursday morning. "Where we're at is great. We're where we've been the whole time.

"Then next year come June, when next year's team shows up in June, we'll be in the new building if everything is staying on track. I think they're ahead of schedule. So, it'll look great, I'm fired up.

"My car is parked in the parking lot and right next attached to the other end of this building is the practice facility going up. I think it's going to be great. I'm super fired up every day I pull in the parking lot and I see more and more be done."

Building a new practice facility was a priority for Oats and Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne.

The project is part of Phase II of the Crimson Standard initiative by the Alabama Athletic department, and over $20 million of funding will come from Crimson Standard cash with the rest coming from university central reserves and general reserve bonds.

The Crimson Standard was first launched in 2018 with the first phase being completed in 2020 with renovations to Bryant-Denny Stadium. Phase II was announced in 2022 with the new basketball competition arena being the main attraction; however, plans have stalled because of construction costs.

Alabama turned its focus to the training and player development facility for Oats, who is coming off a second consecutive trip to the Elite Eight after securing the program's first Final Four appearance in 2024.