Alabama to Host Three Top-20 Hoops Prospects for Georgia Matchup

The game of the decade transcends past the world of college football, extending to the recruiting world of college basketball. While the biggest game of Kalen DeBoer's eight-month-old regime in Tuscaloosa is rapidly approaching, is as one of the most impactful recruiting weekends in Nate Oats' six-year tenure as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide Men's Basketball Program.

The Crimson Tide is set to host three of the best prep basketball players in the nation, welcoming No. 1 overall recruit A.J. Dybantsa, No. 9 Meleek Thomas, and No. 17 Darius Adams.

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AJ Dybantsa, the top recruit in the class of 2025, was first offered by the Crimson Tide as a junior in April 2023.

Dybantsa announced his visit this weekend back in August.

"AJ Dybantsa is a lengthy and wiry 6-foot-7, maybe 6-foot-8 wing. He has a slippery and smooth handle in the open floor that allows him to attack the basket downhill. He is a bouncy athlete at the rim, finishing high above in transition. Dybantsa has a smooth jump shot and can create his own shots off the bounce. He has the length and upside to be very good when he is locked in on the defensive end. With a 2007 birthday, he has the foundation of all the tools; it will simply be about continuing to get stronger and developing the vast skill base. He is tracking as one of the top players in his class." wrote On3 about the 6-foot-9 wing.

Dybantsa has drawn comparisons to Los Angeles Clippers wing Paul George due to his impressive two-way ability.

Dybantsa recently took official visits to Kansas and North Carolina.

Meleek Thomas, the No. 9 ranked recruit in the class of 2025 and a member of Overtime Elite, received an offer from Oats and the Tide as a junior in May 2023.

"Meleek Thomas is a bucket-getter who is wired to score. He is electric when it comes to shooting the ball with range that extends well beyond the three-point arc and the confidence that extends to any level. He has good length with some quick-twitch pop to his game.". Wrote On3Sports about the Pittsburgh, Pa., native. "Thomas is able to carve out space off the bounce. His dribble can get him open, and he has the ability to contort his body to get his shoulders squared upon release. [...] Scoring comes so easily to him, he can get shot happy. Thomas is a good on-ball defender and has natural instincts in the passing lanes. he is tracking as one of the top guards, nationally, in his class." 

Thomas currently holds an On3 NIL Valuation of 445 thousand.

The Crimson Tide extended an offer to guard Darius Adams, the No. 17 player in the class of 2025 on January 5, 2024.

Adams currently has a Crystal Ball to UCONN from 247sports.

Adams recently cut his list of schools to three, the Crimson Tide did not make the cut. The 6-foot-5 New Jersey native is currently considering Michigan State, UCONN, and Tennessee.

"...he has a smooth jump shot. That is the piece his game is predicated on. Adams has good balance going from finger tips to toes with a consistent release. He is developing off the bounce, able to get yo his comfort spots in the half court off two and three dribbles. [...] He is also someone who continues to add something to their game each time you see them. There will be some defensive questions as he can lose engagement off ball and plays upright at times. There are a lot of translatable pieces to his game and those flashes are become much more consistent." wrote On3 Sports on Adams.

With some of the biggest recruits on campus, for both the gridiron and the hardcourt, the stakes for Saturday's matchup continue to exponentially increase.

For more Alabama Football, Basketball, and Baseball content from Simon Besnoy, follow him on X/Twitter at @SimonBesnoy and stay tuned to Tide1009.com for daily news.