© Denny Medley-Imagn Images
There’s no denying that Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball coach Nate Oats is one of the top coaches in the country. Oats excelled at Buffalo before coming to Tuscaloosa in 2019 and turning the Tide into a perennial contender, including taking them to their first Final Four in program history in 2024.
But it’s also safe to say that Oats has had his fair share of controversy since coming to Alabama.
In 2023, Oats came under fire for his handling of star player Brandon Miller, who was implicated for transporting a gun used in the murder of Jamea Harris by teammate Darius Miles.
Miles was immediately kicked off the team, but Oats stated that Miller was simply in the “wrong spot at the wrong time.”
The following year, he was forced to apologize for shoving Missouri player Aidan Shaw.
This season, Oats came under fire yet again on multiple occasions, first involving the eligibility saga of former Bama player Charles Bediako, who attempted to return to the Crimson Tide after playing in the NBA G League, then for the arrest of star guard Aden Holloway on marijuana possession charges.
Which is all to say, where Oats goes, controversy seems to follow. And he may have just created another one.
Nate Oats Reveals Engagement To 30-Year-Old Former Staffer Who He Promoted
In 2023, Oats and his now ex-wife, Crystal, with whom he shares three children, got a divorce. On Friday, in an interview with Sirius XM, he revealed that he has since gotten engaged.
Of course, that’s completely fine. Oats is an adult, and he’s allowed to move forward with his life. But it’s who Oats is engaged to that drew attention from fans.
Alabama coach Nate Oats said during his @SXMCollege interview this afternoon that he is now engaged. Oats and his ex-wife, Crystal, divorced in 2023.
Oats on Alabama’s series with St. John’s: “Me and Alex [Accetta] — my fiancee now, she was my girlfriend at the time — we were…
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) April 3, 2026
Oats revealed that he is engaged to former Alabama basketball staffer Alex Accetta. Not only is Accetta 21 years younger than him, but she also previously served as his subordinate.
Accetta is an Alabama graduate who began working with the program during her time as a student, prior to Oats’ arrival. But according to her bio on the Alabama athletics website, she was promoted by Oats to the role of Director of Operations in 2021.
Accetta left the program in 2022 and currently works for the Dallas Mavericks
Now, listen, does that inherently mean that Oats and Accetta were dating while he was her boss, or that he an ulterior motive when promoting her? Of course not.
But it certainly doesn’t look great!
And fans are beginning to ask questions about their relationship. Were they together before the divorce? Was the relationship perhaps a reason for the divorce? Were Oats and Accetta dating while she worked for him?
All of this is just speculation at this point. But for a coach with Oats’ dubious track record, you can understand why the questions are being asked.