Alabama Coach Nate Oats Joins USA U19 Basketball Staff for FIBA World Cup

Alabama men's basketball head coach Nate Oats has strengthened his staff by hiring Chris Fleming, a former NBA assistant with experience at the Portland Trailblazers, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, and Denver Nuggets, replacing Ryan Pannone who left for a head coaching role at Arkansas State. Fleming joins assistants Preston Murphy and Brian Adams to complete Oats' coaching team. In addition to his responsibilities at Alabama, Oats will serve as a court coach for the USA Basketball Men’s U19 National Team during their training camp in June, helping develop top prospects ahead of the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland. Oats will work alongside high-profile college coaches including Tommy Lloyd, Grant McCasland, Micah Shrewsberry, Hubert Davis, and Mark Pope in preparing the team. The training camp will evaluate over 30 players from high school and college, with the final roster announced just before the tournament. This opportunity not only aids in player development but also serves as a valuable recruiting tool for the coaches involved.