Alabama HC Nate Oats inks massive new contract extension

Alabama men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats has signed a substantive contract extension, keeping him in Tuscaloosa through the 2031-32 season. Athletic director Greg Byrne confirmed the deal on Sunday via the university’s NIL collective, Yea Alabama.

“Nate Oats has signed a new contract that will make him one of the top five compensated men’s basketball coaches in the country,” Byrne wrote in a statement. “Appropriate members of The Board of Trustees have been notified of the proposed terms of the new agreement and it will soon be formally approved through the Board process. ”

Oats, 51, is entering his eighth season at the helm of the Crimson Tide, boasting a 170-73 overall record and 87-38 in SEC play. Since taking over in 2019 from Buffalo, he has led Alabama to six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including five Sweet 16s, four of them consecutive, and the program’s first-ever Final Four during the 2023-24 season. Under Oats, the Crimson Tide have recorded 13 NCAA Tournament wins, the most in school history, and have produced five AP All-Americans, nearly matching the count of eight achieved before his tenure.

This is Oats’ third contract in three years, following extensions in 2023 and 2024. His previous contract, set to run through 2030, included a 2026-27 salary of $6.02 million. While details of his new compensation have not been disclosed, it will place Oats among the nation’s leading earners, above $6 million annually, consistent with the top five public-school coaches, such as UCLA’s Mick Cronin and Kansas’ Bill Self. Moreover, Oats’ buyout to leave Alabama was reduced from $18 million to $10 million earlier this month.

Oats’ commitment comes amid speculation linking him to North Carolina’s recent coaching vacancy following Hubert Davis’ dismissal, though he was reportedly never a serious candidate for the role.

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