Alabama MBB set to host multiple blue-chip recruits for official visits in the coming months
The Alabama men’s basketball coaching staff has recruited well in recent years. Alabama head coach Nate Oats and his staff have placed an emphasis on landing some of the top high school recruits in the country.
With the 2024 season beginning in November, the coaching staff has made it a priority to get recruits on campus for official visits. A handful of blue-chip recruits will be making their way to campus over the course of the next two months.
Roll Tide Wire breaks down which 2024 recruits will be on campus and when each of them will be in Tuscaloosa for their official visit.
2024 4-star PG Jase Richardson
Official Visit: Sept. 2
Jase Richardson is the son of former Michigan State Spartan and NBA Slam Dunk Champion Jason Richardson. Jase has continued the legacy as he is one of the most highly-coveted recruits in the country in the 2024 recruiting class. He is a 6-foot-2 point guard at Christopher Columbus High School in Denver, Colorado. Richardson has taken one official visit thus far and that was to his father’s alma mater, Michigan State. He is scheduled to take official visits to Alabama on Sept. 2 and Cincinnati on Sept. 23. Alabama appears to be in a good position to land Richardson’s commitment. If I had to place a prediction today for where Richardson will end up, it would be Alabama.
2024 4-star SG Kon Knueppel
Official Visit: Sept. 8
Kon Knueppel hails from Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard will be making the trip from Milwaukee to Tuscaloosa the weekend of the Alabama-Texas football game. It will surely be an eventful weekend for the Knueppel family.
The Alabama coaching staff has been high on Knueppel ever since they extended him an offer in June. Alabama is not the only school pushing to land Knueppel’s commitment. He will also take official visits to Marquette (Aug. 28), Wisconsin (Sept. 12), Virginia (Sept. 14), and Duke (Sept. 15). This could be a tough pull for the Crimson Tide as two in-state schools continue to put on the full-court press for Knueppel’s commitment. Needless to say, Alabama has some work to do.
2024 5-star SG Tre Johnson
Official Visit: Sept. 15
There is no hiding the fact that Tre Johnson is one of the best guards in the country. In May, Johnson released a top six consisting of Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Kansas, Kentucky, and Texas. It goes without saying that the Crimson Tide will have to beat out several blue-blood programs to land Johnson.
On the bright side, Johnson has one official visit scheduled. That trip will be to Alabama on Sept. 15. It is worth noting that Johnson has taken previous official visits to Baylor, Kansas, Kentucky, and Texas. At this time, Arkansas is the only finalist that has not gotten Johnson to campus. Alabama has heavy interest in Johnson and will do its best to leave a lasting impression on the five-star prospect when he arrives in Tuscaloosa in several weeks.
2024 5-star PG Boogie Fland
Official Visit: Sept. 22
There may not be a more fascinating name in the 2024 cycle than Boogie Fland. The New York native is one of the top guard prospects in the country and is high on Alabama’s target list.
Fland released his top-eight schools list in July. The finalists are Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, St. John’s, and UConn. Fland will make trips to Kentucky (Sept. 8), Alabama (Sept. 22), and Maryland (Sept. 29). He has already taken official visits to Indiana, Michigan, and North Carolina. Alabama has been in contact with Fland for quite a while. As it stands, no program has a clear-cut lead for Fland. His trip to Tuscaloosa could go a long way with the Tide’s chances of landing his commitment.
2024 5-star PG Jalil Bethea
Official Visit: Sept. 23
Jalil Bethea could be the most talented prospect of all of the visitors that Alabama will have on campus this fall. Bethea is a 6-foot-4 shooting guard out of Westminster, Pennsylvania. He is a three-level scorer that can play multiple positions on the floor. His frame is similar to Alabama guard Rylan Griffen.
Bethea has been a priority target for the Crimson Tide. That will not change anytime soon. Alabama will bring Bethea in for an official visit on Sept. 23. Prior to his trip to Tuscaloosa, Bethea will take official visits to Kansas (Aug. 31) and Miami (Sept. 8). I like Alabama’s chances to land Bethea at this time.
2024 4-star SF Billy Richmond Jr.
Official Visit: Oct. 20
Billy Richmond Jr. has been on Alabama’s radar since receiving an offer from the Crimson Tide in May. Richmond Jr. released a top eight in August. The finalists were Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Memphis, and Texas.
Richmond Jr. will be taking five official visits during the fall. He will make trips to LSU (Sept. 8), Kentucky (Sept. 15), Memphis (Sept. 29), Kansas (Oct. 6), and Alabama (Oct. 20). The teams that appear to be in the best position to land Richardson Jr. this time are Kentucky and Memphis. Richardson’s father, Billy Richmond Sr., played for Memphis under current Kentucky head coach John Calipari. Things could change, but Alabama has its work cut out for them at this point in time.
2024 5-star SG VJ Edgecombe
Official Visit: Nov. 4
Alabama offered Bahamian native VJ Edgecombe in May. On July 30, Edgecombe released his top-10 schools list. The finalists were Alabama, Baylor, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, G-League Ignite, St. John’s, and UConn.
Edgecombe has scheduled official visits to six of the 10 finalists. He will be making trips to Florida (Sept. 16), Baylor (Oct. 7), Michigan (Oct. 14), Duke (Oct. 21), Alabama (Nov. 4), and Florida State (Nov. 11). The good news is that Edgecombe will be taking his first visits to each of these schools. Alabama has a track record for getting players into the NBA and has had success recruiting the North in recent years. It will be interesting to see how Edgecombe’s trip to Tuscaloosa goes in early November.
