What does London Jemison Bring to Alabama Basketball?

Alabama has always been thought of as a "football school," and, considering their significant success on the gridiron over the last 15 years, it makes sense – but things are changing in Tuscaloosa, where basketball coach Nate Oats has helped develop a real culture of winning on the hardwood in a loaded SEC.

They have, since Oats took over, made the Elite Eight three times and the Final Four once in 2023, losing to eventual-champion UConn in the National Semifinal. They've built excellent teams based off of Oats' analytically driven five-out spacing and use of big men that can shoot the basketball from distance. Guards often get excellent assist numbers from the amount of dribble drives that occur per possession, and bringing back high-level lead initiator Labaron Philon is key to this season's success.

This year, they hit the portal hard, but also brought in plenty of prep talent – Link Academy's Davion Hannah, Ashwaubenon's Amari Allen, The Newman School's Collins Onyejiaka, and the subject of this piece, St. Thomas More's London Jemison, a 6-foot-8 combo forward and native of Connecticut.

Jemison, who was the no. 32 player in the country in the class of 2025, the no. 7 power forward, and the top player in his home state, earned a 96.15 rating from Rivals Industry Ranking, which qualifies him as a four-star recruit.

The high-level forward prospect garnered offers from all across the country, including Kansas, Syracuse, Louisville, Notre Dame, Providence, Villanova, Virginia, Xavier, Vanderbilt, and Georgetown, amongst many others. The decision came down between Alabama, Louisville, Kansas, and Syracuse, and he eventually opted for the Crimson Tide and Nate Oats' program.

So what does Jemison bring to Alabama? His game, which has drastically evolved over the last few months, has turned into the framework from which a three-and-D wing can emerge, one with excellent size at 6-foot-8 as well as excellent fluidity and mobility. His burgeoning spot-up skill makes him an extremely valuable weapon in Nate Oats' five-out offensive system, and on the other end, he can provide perimeter defense with switchability.

He's also fantastic in the open floor, and can be a player that dominates in transition because of his athleticism and foot speed. His length translates to being somewhat of a lob threat in the break, meaning he can be a multi-faceted offensive player in the near future. If he can keep his three-point shooting up as consistent as it was in his EYBL performances, Jemison can be a first-round pick after his sophomore season with the Tide.