TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Herb Jones isn’t strolling by way of that door for No. 2 Alabama basketball on Saturday afternoon. Nevertheless, the Crimson Tide brings a equally blue-collar ahead off the bench.
Sophomore Mo Dioubate isn’t fairly a like-for-like comparability to Jones, however the two share quite a lot of notable traits. Each forwards stand in at 6-foot-7. They’re each lefties. Most significantly, they each embody the blue-collar mentality Nate Oats has applied into his program since becoming a member of Alabama six years in the past.
“They’re robust, they’re hard-nosed, they’ll transfer, they’ll guard a number of positions,” Oats stated when requested to match the 2 forwards on Friday. “Herb was just a little — he performed level guard in highschool. He was just a little extra easy in one-on-ones. Mo’s just a little stronger, extra bodily, can type of go to work inside just a little bit extra. They’ve bought a whole lot of similarities.”
Oats inherited Jones, as the previous four-star recruit signed with Alabama because the No. 90 total participant within the 2017 class. After a stable first season beneath Oats, Jones broke out in his senior yr, incomes SEC Participant of the Yr and SEC Defensive Participant of the Yr honors whereas main Alabama to SEC regular-season and convention match titles.
From there, the Greensboro, Alabama native was chosen No. 35 total by the New Orleans Pelicans within the 2021 NBA draft. Jones earned first-team NBA All-Defensive final season after signing a four-year $54-million deal.
That was really Oats’ pitch to Dioubate when he recruited the Bronx, New York native because the No. 78 total participant within the 2023 class.
“After I recruited Mo, I recruited him on the premise that, ‘We took a man that’s fairly much like you and turned him into an NBA starter,”’ Oats recalled. “… I believed Mo’s the closest man [to Jones].”
Dioubate has skilled an analogous second-year surge to Jones beneath Oats. The sophomore has practically doubled all of his stats from a season in the past, averaging 6.6 factors and 5.4 rebounds over 14.5 minutes per recreation.
He additionally leads Alabama, successful eight Laborious Hat Awards whereas rating second on the crew with 348 blue-collar factors. The sophomore’s eye-popping 1.0 blue-collar level per minute common eclipses Jones’ 0.75 per minute throughout his award-winning 2020-21 season.
Like Jones, Dioubate will possible want 4 years in faculty earlier than heading to the following stage. Nevertheless, Oats wouldn’t be stunned if his present blue-collar ahead follows the identical path to success.
“Speaking to NBA folks, they’re properly conscious of Dioubate,” Oats stated. “He leads our crew in plus-minus. He leads are crew in offensive leverage, which might be loopy to assume. However our offense is healthier when he’s within the recreation as a result of he will get to the O-boards, he will get guys open, he makes good performs within the pocket.”
Alabama (21-3, 10-1) will want one other sturdy efficiency from Dioubate because it takes on top-ranked Auburn (22-2, 10-1) inside Coleman Coliseum at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday. The highest-two matchup can be televised on ESPN.
He’s been superb for us,” Oats stated. “Herb was additionally a type of unsung heroes. … I believe they each have that form of affect on video games.”
