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Alabama Basketball Coach Says ‘Nobody’s Above The Program’ After Getting Called Out By Player’s Mom

#Alabama Crimson Tide
by Last Updated
Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats stands on the court.

© Will McLelland-Imagn Images


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Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats responded to criticism received after the surprise benching of a Crimson Tide player. He doubled down on his stance with the team prepping for a midweek matchup vs. Mississippi State.

That blowback came due to his decision to sit leading scorer Mark Sears for the second half against LSU. The guard’s mom called the coaching staff out after Sears’ lengthy absence.

Sears struggled in the first half of that win, going 0-5 from the floor with a pair of turnovers. He was held scoreless across 17 minutes of action. Seeing something off with this superstar, Oats opted to bench the veteran for the final 20 minutes.

The tactic worked as the Crimson Tide broke a 40-40 halftime tie to secure victory. The coach was bombarded with questions on Sears’ status after the game.

“We went with the guys in the second half that I thought gave us the best chance to win this game,” the coach said. He pointed to defensive effort when discussing his adjustments.

Injury and illness were ruled out. Some speculated that Oats had been punishing Sears for an unknown reason. Flames were then fanned when the guard’s mom posted a message on Facebook ripping the staff.

She suggested that Mark Sears had been “neglected” by his coaches after halftime. She later tried to clarify the meaning of her response with a subsequent post on Instagram.

Mark Sears’ mom stated that she wasn’t targeting the staff, though her initial messages appeared directly aimed at Nate Oats and Co. On Tuesday, the coach was asked about his handling of the situation and the drama that’s followed.

“The program is bigger than any one person,” he said. “Getting the best version of Mark Sears is what’s best for this team, for this program, and that’s what we plan on getting moving forward.”

It seems Nate Oats was trying to send a message to his senior guard. His way of doing so was by removing him from the game. Mark Sears’ mom wasn’t a fan of how things played out, but she can likely expect her son to be back in the starting lineup when the Crimson Tide faces Mississippi State on Wednesday.