No. 22 Hannah picks Alabama, cites culture, Oats

Top-25 senior Davion Hannah committed to Alabama on Friday, giving Nate Oats his third four-star recruit of the 2025 class.

Hannah chose the Crimson Tide over a final four that also included Cincinnati, Missouri and Ohio State.

“I love their culture,” Hannah said. “I want to be a part of what they do and how they do it. They win consistently, and they are coming off a Final Four. Coach Oats prepares his players for the NBA. Everything they do translates.”

Hannah took his official visit to Tuscaloosa at the end of August before taking trips to his other finalists — and then taking a second visit to Alabama. Since then, the Tide have had the edge in his recruitment. The combination of Oats and his recent track record gave Alabama the edge.

“I built a great relationship with Coach Oats,” Hannah said. “He is a cool guy off the court and a serious guy on the court. He makes sure you do things the right way and I respect that. The campus atmosphere is great. It is a big family with the student body, fans and athletes.”

Ranked No. 22 in the ESPN 100 for 2025, Hannah becomes the third top-25 recruit to commit to Alabama in its past two recruiting classes. In the past five classes, the Crimson Tide have landed 15 ESPN 100 prospects, with six of them ranked in the top 25.

Hannah, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Milwaukee who plays at Link Academy (Missouri), averaged 14.8 points and 4.5 rebounds with Team Herro on the Nike EYBL circuit last spring, then put up averages of 13.4 points and 5.0 boards at the Nike Peach Jam in July. He got to the free throw line at a high rate during the summer, attempting 32 free throws in five Peach Jam games.

Alabama’s emphasis on layups and 3s and Hannah’s comfort and effectiveness playing up-tempo should be a suitable match. He plays with an aggressive mindset, and he stands out in the open floor with the ball in his hands due to his speed and ability to put pressure on the defense. He’s one of the best in the class at driving against a closeout and can get his shot off by creating space or getting elevation on his pull-up jumper.

His perimeter shooting continues to improve, but he needs more consistency at the next level on his spot-up jumpers. He’s currently more comfortable shooting off the dribble.

Hannah is the third member of Alabama’s 2025 class, with all three considered four-star recruits. He’s the highest-ranked prospect of the group, joining London Jemison (No. 48) and Amari Allen.

Oats and his staff are still expected to be busy in 2025, with A.J. Dybantsa (No. 1), Brayden Burries (No. 11), Mikel Brown Jr. (No. 12) and Mouhamed Sylla among those on their target list.