Top 5 Alabama men's college basketball players of all time ft. Mark Sears
The Alabama Crimson Tide are preparing for their first-ever Final Four appearance. That doesn't mean that Alabama lacks a rich college basketball history. A total of 24 Tide players have been chosen as All-Americans. Alabama held a virtual lock over the SEC in the late 1980s and early 1990s, winning league championships in 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1991.
With three Sweet 16 appearances in four years, many would argue that Alabama's golden basketball era is now. But with that contention in mind, here's how the top five Tide players of all time stack up.
Top 5 Alabama basketball players of all time
#5. Wendell Hudson, 1970-73
Hudson was a great player and earned co-SEC Player of the Year in 1973. The 6-foot-6 forward finished fifth in the SEC in scoring as a junior and led the league in that category a year later. For his career, Hudson amassed 1,326 points and 826 rebounds despite playing in only 69 games.
But Hudson is also on this list because of reasons that were bigger than sports. When Tide coach C.M. Newton signed him to a scholarship in 1969, he was the first African-American athlete to ever sign with Alabama. The University retired Hudson's No. 20 jersey in 2020. Notably, he's the only Alabama player so honored.
#4. Mark Sears, 2022-24
Sears will only play two seasons for the Tide after transferring in from Ohio University. But he is a second-team All-American who led the program to its first-ever Final Four. In two years in Tuscaloosa, Sears has scored 1,236 points and made 161 3-point shots.
Sears's 21.5 ppg this season has been instrumental in establishing the Tide as the top offense in the nation (90.6 ppg). By taking the school farther than it has ever gone, Sears has cemented his place in Alabama lore.
Should the Tide win the NCAA title, Sears could arguably belong on top of this list. That's a pretty impressive feat for a 6-foot-1 guard during his short stint in Tuscaloosa.
#3. Robert Horry, 1988-92
Horry started for three seasons at Alabama, earning a pair of All-SEC nods. The 6-foot-9 forward scored 1,592 points and corralled 929 rebounds at UA. He's also the school's all-time leading shot blocker with 286 blocks.
Perhaps more importantly, Horry helped Alabama win SEC Tournament championships in 1990 and 1991, his sophomore and junior seasons. Always a fiery competitor, he was chosen with the No. 11 pick in the 1992 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. He went on to win seven NBA titles with the Rockets, Lakers and Spurs. Horry often delivered clutch shots, earning the nickname "Big Shot Bob."
#2. Leon Douglas, 1972-76
Douglas was a 6-foot-10 center who dominated the post in SEC play for four seasons. Douglas finished his UA career with 1,909 points, which was then a school record and is still third all-time. His 1,279 rebounds tied for second in Alabama history. Blocks were only counted for one season of Douglas's career, but the 77 he had that year ties for third-best in Tide history.
Douglas was also a pioneer during his time in Alabama, as part of the first all-Black starting lineup in SEC history. He earned consensus second-team All-American honors in 1975 and third-team honors in 1976. He helped UA win conference titles in each of his last three seasons.
Douglas was selected with the No. 4 pick by the Detroit Pistons in the 1976 NBA draft. He played six years in the NBA, scoring 7.9 ppg.
#1. Reggie King, 1975-79
King is the all-time leading scorer in Tide history with 2,168 points. The 6-foot-6 forward also grabbed 1,279 rebounds, which ties for second in Alabama history. King was an unselfish player, shooting 55.6% for his career.
King was a second-team AP All-American twice at UA. He also helped the Tide win the regular season SEC title in his freshman season and helped lead the team to the school's first-ever Sweet 16 bid.
As a pro, King was drafted with the No. 18 pick in the 1979 draft by the Kansas City Kings. He played six seasons in the NBA, averaging 8.9 ppg.
Will it take an NCAA crown to lift Mark Sears above King atop the list of 'Bama legends? Many might argue that by taking the team to the Final Four, Sears has done his best to already be considered the Tide's greatest.
Let us know what you think in the comments section below.