University of Alabama men’s basketball forward Javian Davis has entered the NCAA transfer portal but said via social media that he would “explore options including a possible return to Alabama”
Earlier this week, Alabama signed 6-foot-11 forward Alex Tchikou, an immediate Top 40 national prospect when he reclassified into the 2020 signing class in June. That gave Alabama one player more than the NCAA 13-scholarship limit for men’s basketball.
Junior forward John Petty is currently considering his NBA Draft prospects and may not return for his senior season at UA. While he may be leaning to a pro career, especially if he receives a credible Top 40 grade from one or more NBA teams, Alabama coach Nate Oats would welcome Petty’s return.
Four players from last year’s team have transferred already or are in the portal — Davis, Raymond Hawkins to Long Beach State, Jalen Forbes to Tulane and Galin Smith to Maryland. Neither Forbes nor Smith were recruited to play in an up-tempo offense like Oats has brought to Alabama and Smith, a graduate transfer, will probably play more minutes as a Terrapin than he would have in Tuscaloosa.
Davis sat out in 2018-2019. The 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman played in 31 games for Alabama, starting 14.
Reach Cecil Hurt at cecil@tidesports.com or via Twitter @cecilhurt
