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The 2026-27 NBA season is upon us as the league officially kicked off play on Tuesday. That makes this a perfect time to look at former Alabama basketball players in the NBA. We'll look at where they are, how they got there, and what their outlook/projected role is this season.
In total, six former Alabama players are on full NBA contracts to open up the season, while two others are on two-way contracts.
A two-way contract is a partial contract in which the player will split time between the NBA and the G League (the NBA's developmental league) and those players do not count against a team's 15-player roster limit.
Here is a look at former Alabama basketball players who are currently on a NBA roster to begin the season.
Brandon Miller enters his fourth season with the Hornets, where he was recently rewarded with a $209 million extension. The former No. 2 overall pick has spent his entire career with Charlotte, and is now under team-control for the foreseeable future. Miller averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists this past season on 43.5% shooting and 38.3% shooting from three. Miller is the Hornets starting small forward.
Collin Sexton enters his first season with the Lakers after signing a two-year, $19 million deal with them this offseason. The former lottery pick is entering his ninth NBA season, and Los Angeles will be his fifth team.
Sexton split last season between the Hornets and Bulls, where he averaged 15.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in total on the season while shooting 48.5% from the field and 40.1% from three. Sexton has career averages of 18.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on 47.2%/38.9%/84.1% shooting splits. Sexton projects to be the first guard off the bench for the Lakers, backing up stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Herb Jones continues to be a strong presence defensively for the Pelicans as he enters his sixth season in the league in New Orleans. Last season, Jones averaged 8.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on 38.3% shooting (30.9% from three). It was the weakest season of Jones' career offensively, but he remains one of the best defenders in the league.
The former second round pick has career averages of 9.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.6 steals with a 45.8% shooting percentage and 35% three-point percentage. Jones projects to be competing with Saddiq Bey for a starting spot for the Pelicans this season. He will either be their starting small forward or one of their first players off the bench.
Keon Ellis made his way to Brooklyn this offseason as he signed a two-year, $18 million deal in free agency. Ellis split last season between Sacramento and Cleveland where he combined to average 6.7 points on 44% shooting and 36.3% three-point shooting. Ellis had spent the first 3.5 seasons of his career in Sacramento before being traded to Cleveland last trade deadline. Ellis appears set to be the Nets backup small forward this season, backing up Michael Porter Jr..
The No. 22 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Philon heads into his rookie season with the 76ers. Philon is vying for a spot in the rotation for a star-studded Philly team. He is competing with veteran guards Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for minutes off the bench for the 76ers. Philon did not play in Philly's first game of the season.
Noah Clowney enters his fourth season with the Nets, and has spent his entire career so far in Brooklyn. Last season, Clowney averaged 12.3 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 39.6% from the field. Clowney appears set to be the Nets backup power forward this season, backing up Julius Randle.
Chris Youngblood enters his second season in the league on a two-way contract with the Trail Blazers. Youngblood split time last season on two-ways with the Thunder and Blazers. In the NBA for the season, he averaged 2.1 points per game on 34.9% shooting in 34 games. Meanwhile in 17 games in the G League, he averaged 22.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on 45.7% shooting.
Grant Nelson heads into his second season in the Nets organization, this time on a two-way contract. Nelson spent most of last season in the G League with the Nets' affiliate, but played a couple games with Brooklyn on a 10-day contract. The Nets signed Nelson to a two-way deal this offseason. Last year in the NBA, Nelson averaged 4.3 points per game in four games. In 17 games in the G League, he averaged 12.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game on 55.6% shooting.
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