Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball program have secured their first transfer addition of the portal cycle, landing veteran Power 4 forward Brandon Garrison.
According to reporting from Charlie Potter of BamaOnline, along with national insider Joe Tipton, Garrison committed to Alabama on Sunday evening, giving the Crimson Tide an experienced frontcourt piece out of the transfer portal.
Brandon Garrison Brings SEC Experience
Garrison will arrive in Tuscaloosa with a ton of SEC experience, playing for the Kentucky Wildcats the previous two seasons. Before playing in Lexington, Garrison played for the Oklahoma State Cowboys of the Big 12.
Garrison, a 6-foot-10, 245-pound forward from Oklahoma City, will enter his senior season in Tuscaloosa.
He appeared in 36 games for Kentucky during the 2025-26 season, making five starts while averaging 4.7 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, while shotting 54.4% from the field.
His most productive outing came in a standout performance against the Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball, where he posted 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Garrison Has Familiarity With Alabama, SEC Competition
Having played his last two seasons in the SEC, Garrison is no stranger to Alabama, having faced the Crimson Tide four times in his career. Across those matchups, he totaled 21 points.
His best performance against Alabama came on January 8, 2025, when he scored 11 points in 19 minutes during Kentucky’s 102-97 loss in Lexington.
That familiarity with the SEC, and Alabama specifically, should ease his transition into Oats’ system.
Garrison Addresses Needs in Alabama’s Frontcourt
Alabama entered the offseason with a clear need in the frontcourt after losing key contributors to the transfer portal, including starting center Aiden Sherrell and reserve forward Taylor Bol Bowen.
Garrison fills an immediate need as a physical presence in the paint and provides depth, size, and veteran experience to a roster undergoing transition.
At the time of his commitment, Garrison was ranked as the No. 134 overall player in the transfer portal, according to On3.
What Brandon Garrison Means for Alabama Moving Forward
While Garrison is not a high-volume scorer, he will provide solid rebounding and rim protection, something Alabama desperately needs to improve on going into the 2026-27 season.
Adding this type of talent that also has plenty of SEC experience is a solid start for Oats and the Tide in this transfer portal cycle.
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