Deadspin: 5-star Zion Green commits to Alabama, adding to its 2027 class

Green picks the Crimson Tide

Alabama men’s basketball added five-star forward Zion Green on Saturday, according to ESPN. He selected the Crimson Tide over Ole Miss, Kansas and Oklahoma, the final group of schools he was considering.

Alabama offered Green this spring, and he made an official visit to Tuscaloosa in September. He is the program’s second top-25 commitment for 2027.

A fit with Alabama’s approach

Green told ESPN that Alabama’s practice intensity and coach Nate Oats’s accountability stood out to him. He also described Oats as humorous away from the court. Green said the team’s up-tempo style fits his game, adding that Alabama has previously succeeded with players of his frame and skill set.

Rankings and performance

The 6-foot-9 forward is from Philadelphia and played his senior year at AZ Compass Prep in Arizona. He is ranked No. 16 in the SC Next 100. At the Border League, Green shot 73 percent overall and 40 percent from three-point range, according to statistics and analytics website Cerebro. The report describes him as a prospect with upside and skill despite his lanky frame.

Alabama’s growing class

Green joins five-star shooting guard Chase Lumpkin, who is ranked No. 23 by ESPN, in Alabama’s recruiting class. Oats has landed six five-star recruits since becoming the Tide’s coach in 2019.