Nate Oats: Nick Saban wrong place, wrong time comment not criticism of Alabama basketball

LOUISVILLE — Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats said Thursday he didn't take Nick Saban's Monday news conference comments as criticism of the basketball team.

Oats said he and Saban talked Monday night after Saban said, "There is no such thing as being in the wrong place at the wrong time," when Saban was making a comment about team discipline after the first spring practice.

"I've got a ton of respect for him," Oats said. "He has been tremendously supportive of our program since he has got here. He says it all the time. He wants the entire athletic department to do well. He has been at multiple games this year. He came yesterday to speak to the team."

Saban used that phrase about wrong place at the wrong time when discussing the arrest of Alabama freshman Tony Mitchell, who is suspended from all team activities after he was charged last week with possession of marijuana with intent to sell and/or distribute. Mitchell was driving up to 141 mph while being chased by police with $7,000 cash, 226 grams of marijuana and a loaded handgun that the passenger in Mitchell's car claimed, according to the Holmes County Sherriff's office in Florida.

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Oats used a similar phrase in late February when discussing Brandon Miller's connection to the fatal shooting on Jan. 15 on the Strip in Tuscaloosa that resulted in the arrest of former teammate Darius Miles and Michael Davis, both of whom were charged with capital murder. A police investigator testified on Feb. 21 that Miller had brought the gun to the scene in his car. Miller has not been charged with a crime, and his attorney said Miller never touched the gun, was not involved in its exchange and never knew illegal activity involving the gun would occur.

"Brandon hasn't been in any type of trouble, nor is he in any type of trouble on this case," Oats said on Feb. 21. "Wrong spot at the wrong time."

Oats later apologized and walked back those comments that night.

Saban said he wasn't criticizing Oats on Monday, though.

"There's nothing to clarify," Saban said Thursday. "I don't watch basketball coaches' press conferences. How many years have I been coaching? I've never watched one. (I've) never listened to what other people say. It's strictly about our program and what we do, and has nothing to do with anybody else. I don't make comments about anybody else, and we hope the basketball team does really, really well."

Oats reiterated Thursday he thinks Saban is the best coach for team sports in modern history, something Oats also said at his introductory news conference in 2019.

"He and I have got a great relationship," Oats said, "and I'm really thankful for the support that he has given us and continues to give us with the basketball program at Alabama."

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Nate Oats: Nick Saban comment didn't criticize Brandon Miller