Jeff Borzello
Paul Biancardi
Paul Biancardi
Basketball Recruiting
National Recruiting Director for ESPN.com
18 years of coaching experience at Division I level
Former Horizon League coach of the year at Wright State
Top-35 wing Tarris Bouie announced his commitment to Alabama on Wednesday, giving the Crimson Tide their second top-50 recruit of the week.
Bouie’s commitment comes just two days after Chris Washington Jr. picked Alabama. Both players visited Tuscaloosa last weekend and didn’t wait long to commit to Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide after returning home.
“Coach Oats recruited me hard, and I really like their style of play,” Bouie told ESPN. “Over the summer I remember him being at almost every one of my games. I really like their style of play, it fits me. That was big for me. They play fast, and in the open court they shoot 3s and attack the basket.”
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Bouie built a strong connection with Oats and assistant coach Preston Murphy, whom Oats has previously called the “best recruiter in the country.”
“I have a very good relationship with Coach Oats, and we talk often, and that was the big difference,” he said. “He is a genuine guy. I also have a strong relationship with assistant coach Preston Murphy.”
Bouie, the No. 33-ranked player in the ESPN 100, had trimmed his list to Alabama, Cincinnati, Georgetown, Marquette, Mississippi State, NC State, Ole Miss and Texas last month, but ended up making just the Alabama trip before deciding. The 6-foot-7 wing averaged 15.5 points and 6.0 rebounds on the Nike EYBL circuit this past spring and summer, while showing some shooting ability by making five of his 12 3-point attempts during July’s Nike Peach Jam.
He is a gifted scorer with versatility and makes offense look easy with his natural instincts. Bouie’s greatest impact comes in the open floor because of his ability to put pressure on the defense as a pure scorer or playmaker. He displays a soft touch, explosiveness and can score at all three levels. Bouie also has considerable potential on the defensive end, given his length, frame and instincts. He has shown signs of being someone who can switch and guard four positions. He’ll need to improve his strength to better absorb contact on his drives and finishes, but when it comes to pure upside and sheer talent, he’s near the top of the class.
Bouie joins Washington Jr. in Alabama’s 2026 group.
Washington, out of Providence Christian Academy (Tennessee), is the top-ranked prospect in the state of Tennessee in the 2026 class. A 6-foot-9 forward, Washington is ranked No. 41 overall in the ESPN 100 and is considered one of the elite athletes in the country. He had planned visits to Auburn, Cincinnati, Florida A&M and Villanova, but ended his recruitment without taking those trips. Washington averaged 12.3 points and 7.4 rebounds on the UAA circuit this spring and summer, demonstrating a knack for making plays on the offensive glass and on the defensive end.
Bouie and Washington are the first two commitments in the class of 2026 for Alabama, which also hosted top-30 point guard Ikenna Alozie last weekend. The Crimson Tide are expecting a massive group of visitors this coming weekend, with top-15 prospects Caleb Holt, Dylan Mingo and Jaxon Richardson all scheduled to take trips to Tuscaloosa.
Oats has landed ranked recruiting classes in five straight years, finishing at No. 19 in 2025, No. 3 in 2024, No. 17 in 2023, No. 3 in 2022 and No. 10 in 2021. The Crimson Tide are currently one of just two programs in the country with multiple top-50 commitments at this point in the 2026 recruiting cycle.
