Chris Youngblood projected to be out until conference play

Alabama head coach Nate Oats reloaded his squad after the program's first trip to the Final Four just this past March.

With the No. 2 recruiting class out of high school and the No. 7 transfer class, minutes will be hard to come by on this version of the Crimson Tide .

However, just days into practice, Alabama received disheartening news as transfer guard Chris Youngblood is expected to miss the first few months of the season, according to The Field of 68 .

Oats provided an update on the former South Florida star, who was seen riding a scooter and in a boot during Thursday's practice.

The former AAC Co-player of the year is sidelined following ankle surgery, according to Oats, but the 41% three-point shooter is expected to be 100% by the time SEC play rolls around.

Youngblood led the Bulls to an AAC regular season championship during the 2023 season while falling short of the NCAA Tournament when USF was eliminated in the AAC Conference Tournament by UAB.

Before playing the 2023-24 season at USF, Youngblood played his first three years at Kennesaw State, where he averaged over 10 points a game.

The six-foot-four, 220-pound Youngblood is expected to provide Alabama with not only some lethal shooting to fill the void of NBA-bound guard Aaron Estrada but also some necessary physical defense on the perimeter.

With the return of All-American guard Mark Sears, guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr., and forward Grant Nelson to go along with Oats offseason additions, the Crimson Tide is primed for a return to the Final Four.

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