On Sunday, September 21, Alabama’s NIL collective, Yea Alabama, announced that transfer guard Jalil Bethea suffered a foot injury that would require surgery to repair. The report said the surgery was performed on Friday, September 19, and Bethea had no timetable for recovery. The only report was that the injury was not season-ending, per Alabama head coach Nate Oats.
However, Adam Zagoria of the NYT Sports reported on Monday that Bethea suffered a broken pinky toe on his left foot, and a potential return timeline could be late November for the Crimson Tide.
Bethea, a 6-foot-5, 190-pound guard, spent his freshman season at Miami. The former five-star prospect averaged 7.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 36.8% from the floor and 32.6% from three-point range with the Hurricanes last season.
The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native committed to the Crimson Tide on April 6, choosing Nate Oats and Alabama over Kansas State, NC State, and a return to Miami. Alabama basketball head coach Nate Oats praised Bethea when he officially signed with the Crimson Tide on May 13.
“Jalil is a supreme athlete with unlimited potential and is a player that has every measurable that the NBA is looking for, as he was a projected top-five pick before starting his collegiate career,” Oats said in a statement released by the athletic department. “Jalil is an elite playmaker and possesses great ball-handling skills and decision-making, and will be a great fit for our system.”
Read More: “Elite Size, Skill, and Character”: Nate Oats Breaks Down Alabama’s Transfer Class
Alabama will be without Bethea for several big matchups early in the season, including games against St. John’s, Purdue, and Illinois, among others.
Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men’s basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.
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