With Jim Larrañaga stepping down as Miami’s head coach, five-star shooting guard Matthew Able has been released from his National Letter of Intent with the Hurricanes and has reopened his recruitment.
Although Alabama and head coach Nate Oats were not involved in his initial recruitment before he committed to Miami, the Crimson Tide are now one of three teams actively pursuing Able and have scheduled an official visit, according to On3’s Joe Tipton.
Able is set to visit Alabama on March 5 for the Crimson Tide’s final home game of the regular season against Florida. Before that, he will visit Tennessee on Saturday for the Vols’ matchup with Alabama and will conclude his visits at Baylor on March 8.
Over the next week, Able will have two opportunities to watch Alabama up close. His stock has risen significantly in recent weeks due to an impressive senior season. The 6-foot-5 guard from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is ranked as a five-star prospect and the No. 26 overall player in the 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Able could add to a strong 2025 class for Oats and Alabama
Alabama has already signed three prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle, giving them the No. 13 class in the composite rankings. The group includes four-star forward London Jemison, four-star guard Davion Hannah, and four-star wing Amari Allen.
Last year, the Crimson Tide also made a late addition when guard Labaron Philon was released from his NLI with Kansas and signed with Alabama—a move that has paid off, as Philon has been an excellent addition and is currently projected as a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Alabama will lose Mark Sears, Chris Youngblood, Grant Nelson, and Cliff Omoruyi after this season due to exhausted eligibility. Additionally, Philon and Derrion Reid could enter the NBA Draft early, and the transfer portal remains an unpredictable factor.
While it’s somewhat surprising to see Alabama targeting a guard this late in the cycle—given that their more pressing needs seem to be an experienced guard or a young big—Nate Oats clearly has a vision for the roster and is comfortable pursuing the talented high school senior.
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