Five-Star Point Guard Considering Alabama Amongst Other Elite Schools
The No. 10-ranked basketball player in the 2026 class, according to the 247Sports Industry Ranking, is down to eight schools, one of which is the Alabama Crimson Tide, according to Joe Tipton of On3.
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Five-star Ikenna Alozie is considering some of the elite college basketball programs, including the Kentucky Wildcats, the Kansas Jayhawks, and the Arizona Wildcats.
Alozie is ranked the No. 2 player in Arizona and the No. 5 combo guard by 247Sports. He had offers from over 20 of the top schools in the country, but now he will focus on his top eight and work on organizing official visits.
Rivals
The Nigerian-born recruit has taken one official visit to the Washington Huskies, who also made his top eight. Alozie has also visited his home state school in Arizona on an unofficial visit. Alabama will look to get him on campus before the season and maybe through the season.
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The Crimson Tide offered Alozie in 2024, and his relationship with head coach Nate Oats is reportedly strong. They have yet to gain a commitment from the 2026 class but have had a strong 2025 recruiting class. They recently announced Collins Onyejiaka was heading to Alabama and was originally from the 2026 class but reclassified to 2025. Oats has also added three top players, all four-star prospects.
The Crimson Tide made it to the Elite Eight in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, falling to the Duke Blue Devils. Oats will hope to go further than that with the roster he has compiled from recruiting and the transfer portal.
Related: Alabama Guard Receives Major Update on Eligibility
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
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NBC News
15 minutes ago
- NBC News
Ichiro Suzuki adds humorous touches to Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — If you want someone for your next celebrity roast, Ichiro Suzuki could be your guy. Mixing sneaky humor with heartfelt messages, the first Japanese-born player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame stole the show Sunday in Cooperstown. Morning showers and gloomy skies delayed the ceremonies by an hour, but the moisture gave way to bright skies and warm temperatures. The sun seemed its brightest during Suzuki's acceptance speech. The outfielder was joined by pitcher CC Sabathia, also elected in his first year of eligibility, and closer Billy Wagner, who made it in his final try on the writers' ballot. Suzuki fell one vote shy of being a unanimous selection and he took a jab at the unidentified sports writer who didn't vote for him. "Three thousand hits or 262 hits in one season are two achievements recognized by the writers. Well, all but one," Suzuki said to roaring laughter. "By the way, the offer for the writer to have dinner at my home has now expired," he added, with emphasis on "expired" for good measure. A pair of Era Committee selections rounded out the Class of 2025: Dave Parker, who earned the nickname Cobra during 20 big league seasons, and slugger Dick Allen. Parker died June 28, just a month before he was to be inducted. An estimated 30,000 fans crowded onto the field adjacent to the Clark Sports Center, sun umbrellas and Japanese flags sprinkled around. Suzuki's No. 51 was seemingly everywhere as fans, thousands of them Seattle Mariners boosters who made the trek from the Pacific Northwest, chanted "Ichiro" several times throughout the day. A sign that read "Thank You Ichiro! Forever a Legend" in English and Japanese summed up the admiration for Suzuki on his special day. With 52 returning Hall of Famers on hand, Suzuki paid homage to his new baseball home in Cooperstown and his adoring fans by delivering his 18-minute speech in English. His humor, a surprise to many, delighted the crowd. He threw shade at the Miami Marlins, the last stop of his professional career. "Honestly, when you guys offered me a contract in 2015, I had never heard of your team," Suzuki joked. He kidded that he showed up at spring training every year with his arm "already in shape" just to hear Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs scream, "'Holy smokes! Another laser-beam throw from Ichiro!'" He even took a moment for some tongue-in-cheek modesty. "People often measure me by my records. Three thousand hits. Ten Gold Gloves. Ten seasons of 200 hits. "Not bad, huh?" Suzuki said to more laughs. He thanked his late agent Tony Anastasio for "getting me to America and for teaching me to love wine." But he also took time to get to the root of what made him extraordinary. "Baseball is much more than just hitting, throwing and running. Baseball taught me to make valued decisions about what is important. It helped shape my view of life and the world. … The older I got, I realized the only way I could get to play the game I loved to the age of 45 at the highest level was to dedicate myself to it completely," he said. "When fans use their precious time to see you play, you have a responsibility to perform for them whether you are winning by 10 or losing by 10. "Baseball taught me what it means to be a professional and I believe that is the main reason I am here today. I could not have achieved the numbers without paying attention to the small details every single day consistently for all 19 seasons." Now he's reached the pinnacle, overcoming doubters, one of whom said to him: "'Don't embarrass the nation.'" He's made his homeland proud. "Going into America's Baseball Hall of Fame was never my goal. I didn't even know there was one. I visited Cooperstown for the first time in 2001, but being here today sure feels like a fantastic dream." Sabathia thanked "the great players sitting behind me, even Ichiro, who stole my Rookie of the Year award [in 2001]." He paid homage to Parker and spoke about Black culture in today's game. "It's an extra honor to be a part of Dave's Hall of Fame class. He was a father figure for a generation of Black stars. In the '80s and early '90s when I first started watching baseball and Dave Parker was crushing homers, the number of Black players in the major leagues was at its highest, about 18%. Me and my friends played the game because we saw those guys on TV and there was always somebody who looked like me in a baseball uniform. "Baseball has always been a great game for Black athletes, but baseball culture has not always been great to Black people. I hope we're starting to turn that around. I don't want to be the final member of the Black aces, a Black pitcher to win 20 games. And I don't want to be the final Black pitcher giving a Hall of Fame speech." Wagner urged young players to treat obstacles not as "roadblocks, but steppingstones." "I wasn't the biggest player. I wasn't supposed to be here. There were only seven full-time relievers in the Hall of Fame. Now, there are eight because I refused to give up or give in," he said. Suzuki received 393 of 394 votes (99.7%) from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Sabathia was picked on 342 ballots (86.8%) and Wagner on 325 (82.5%), which was 29 votes more than the 296 needed for the required 75%. After arriving in the majors in 2001, Suzuki joined Fred Lynn (1975) as the only players to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Suzuki was a two-time AL batting champion and 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, hitting .311 with 117 homers, 780 RBIs and 509 stolen bases with Seattle, the New York Yankees and Miami. He is perhaps the best contact hitter ever, with 1,278 hits in Nippon Professional Baseball and 3,089 in MLB, including a season-record 262 in 2004. His combined total of 4,367 exceeds Pete Rose's major league record of 4,256. Sabathia, second to Suzuki in 2001 AL Rookie of the Year voting, was a six-time All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and a World Series title in 2009. He went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, third among left-handers behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton, during 19 seasons with Cleveland, Milwaukee and the New York Yankees. A seven-time All-Star, Wagner was 47-40 with a 2.31 ERA and 422 saves for Houston, Philadelphia, the New York Mets, Boston and Atlanta. Tom Hamilton and Tom Boswell were also honored during Hall of Fame weekend. Hamilton has been the primary radio broadcaster for the Cleveland Guardians franchise for 35 seasons and received the Ford C. Frick Award. Boswell, a retired sports columnist who spent his entire career with The Washington Post, was honored with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award.


USA Today
44 minutes ago
- USA Today
ESPN names Ohio State as a college basketball team that could 'make a jump' this season
We are all getting ready for the start of the college football season now just a little over a month away, but the college basketball season won't be too far behind. In fact, we're now within 100 days of the Ohio State basketball season, and ESPN took a big look at previewing hoops for 2025-2026 by looking at many different angles and storylines. One of the things Myron Metcalf and Jeff Borzello touched on was ten teams that "could make a jump" this coming season. And, if you are an Ohio State fan, then you have to like what the ESPN duo things of the Buckeyes this season because they were named as one of those ten teams. OSU was able to retain some key pieces of its core group, but outside of that, there's been a major overhaul of the guys suiting up in the scarlet and gray this season. The mix of old and new will have to come together for the Buckeyes to get back to the NCAA Tournament, but there's good reason to believe that it could happen. Here's what Borzello says about Ohio State this winter: "The Buckeyes showed flashes of their potential last season but couldn't quite string together a consistent run of form. With a terrific trio back in Bruce Thornton, Devin Royal and John Mobley Jr. -- plus the additions of Christoph Tilly and Brandon Noel up front -- Jake Diebler's team should find itself in the NCAA tournament." It sure seems like Ohio State hasn't had a shortage of talent over the last few years, but getting the team to come together and play as a team has been an issue that seems to be a problem in today's day and age of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness. Here's to hoping ESPN is right and that the Buckeyes make it back to meaningful games late and on into the postseason this basketball season. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.


Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
Ichiro Suzuki adds humor to Hall of Fame ceremonies as Dick Allen and other honorees are inducted
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — If you want someone for your next celebrity roast, Ichiro Suzuki could be your guy. Mixing sneaky humor with heartfelt messages, the first Japanese-born player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame stole the show Sunday in Cooperstown. Morning showers and gloomy skies delayed the ceremonies by an hour, but the moisture gave way to bright skies and warm temperatures. The sun seemed its brightest during Suzuki's acceptance speech. The outfielder was joined by pitcher CC Sabathia, also elected in his first year of eligibility, and closer Billy Wagner, who made it in his final try on the writers' ballot. Suzuki fell one vote shy of being a unanimous selection and he took a jab at the unidentified sports writer who didn't vote for him. 'Three thousand hits or 262 hits in one season are two achievements recognized by the writers. Well, all but one,' Suzuki said to roaring laughter. 'By the way, the offer for the writer to have dinner at my home has now expired,' he added, with emphasis on 'expired' for good measure. A pair of Era Committee selections rounded out the Class of 2025: Dave Parker, who earned the nickname Cobra during 20 big league seasons, and slugger Dick Allen. Parker died June 28, just a month before he was to be inducted. An estimated 30,000 fans crowded onto the field adjacent to the Clark Sports Center, sun umbrellas and Japanese flags sprinkled around. Suzuki's No. 51 was seemingly everywhere as fans, thousands of them Seattle Mariners boosters who made the trek from the Pacific Northwest, chanted 'Ichiro' several times throughout the day. A sign that read 'Thank You Ichiro! Forever a Legend' in English and Japanese summed up the admiration for Suzuki on his special day. Column: City Series and Dick Allen's Hall of Fame induction highlight a great Chicago baseball weekendWith 52 returning Hall of Famers on hand, Suzuki paid homage to his new baseball home in Cooperstown and his adoring fans by delivering his 18-minute speech in English. His humor, a surprise to many, delighted the crowd. He threw shade at the Miami Marlins, the last stop of his professional career. 'Honestly, when you guys offered me a contract in 2015, I had never heard of your team,' Suzuki joked. He kidded that he showed up at spring training every year with his arm 'already in shape' just to hear Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs scream, '`Holy smokes! Another laser-beam throw from Ichiro!'' He even took a moment for some tongue-in-cheek modesty. 'People often measure me by my records. Three thousand hits. Ten Gold Gloves. Ten seasons of 200 hits. 'Not bad, huh?' Suzuki said to more laughs. He thanked his late agent Tony Anastasio for 'getting me to America and for teaching me to love wine.' But he also took time to get to the root of what made him extraordinary. 'Baseball is much more than just hitting, throwing and running. Baseball taught me to make valued decisions about what is important. It helped shape my view of life and the world. … The older I got, I realized the only way I could get to play the game I loved to the age of 45 at the highest level was to dedicate myself to it completely,' he said. 'When fans use their precious time to see you play, you have a responsibility to perform for them whether you are winning by 10 or losing by 10. 'Baseball taught me what it means to be a professional and I believe that is the main reason I am here today. I could not have achieved the numbers without paying attention to the small details every single day consistently for all 19 seasons.' Now he's reached the pinnacle, overcoming doubters, one of whom said to him: '`Don't embarrass the nation.'' He's made his homeland proud. 'Going into America's Baseball Hall of Fame was never my goal. I didn't even know there was one. I visited Cooperstown for the first time in 2001, but being here today sure feels like a fantastic dream.' Ahead of Dick Allen's Baseball Hall of Fame induction, Chicago White Sox teammates reflect on his lasting impactSabathia thanked 'the great players sitting behind me, even Ichiro, who stole my Rookie of the Year award (in 2001).' He paid homage to Parker and spoke about Black culture in today's game. 'It's an extra honor to be a part of Dave's Hall of Fame class. He was a father figure for a generation of Black stars. In the '80s and early '90s when I first started watching baseball and Dave Parker was crushing homers, the number of Black players in the major leagues was at its highest, about 18%. Me and my friends played the game because we saw those guys on TV and there was always somebody who looked like me in a baseball uniform. 'Baseball has always been a great game for Black athletes, but baseball culture has not always been great to Black people. I hope we're starting to turn that around. I don't want to be the final member of the Black aces, a Black pitcher to win 20 games. And I don't want to be the final Black pitcher giving a Hall of Fame speech.' Wagner urged young players to treat obstacles not as 'roadblocks, but stepping stones.' 'I wasn't the biggest player. I wasn't supposed to be here. There were only seven full-time relievers in the Hall of Fame. Now, there are eight because I refused to give up or give in,' he said. Suzuki received 393 of 394 votes (99.7%) from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Sabathia was picked on 342 ballots (86.8%) and Wagner on 325 (82.5%), which was 29 votes more than the 296 needed for the required 75%. After arriving in the majors in 2001, Suzuki joined Fred Lynn (1975) as the only players to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Suzuki was a two-time AL batting champion and 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, hitting .311 with 117 homers, 780 RBIs and 509 stolen bases with Seattle, the New York Yankees and Miami. He is perhaps the best contact hitter ever, with 1,278 hits in Nippon Professional Baseball and 3,089 in MLB, including a season-record 262 in 2004. His combined total of 4,367 exceeds Pete Rose's major league record of 4,256. Sabathia, second to Suzuki in 2001 AL Rookie of the Year voting, was a six-time All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and a World Series title in 2009. He went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, third among left-handers behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton, during 19 seasons with Cleveland, Milwaukee and the New York Yankees. A seven-time All-Star, Wagner was 47-40 with a 2.31 ERA and 422 saves for Houston, Philadelphia, the New York Mets, Boston and Atlanta. Tom Hamilton and Tom Boswell were also honored during Hall of Fame weekend. Hamilton has been the primary radio broadcaster for the Cleveland Guardians franchise for 35 seasons and received the Ford C. Frick Award. Boswell, a retired sports columnist who spent his entire career with The Washington Post, was honored with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award.