The Alabama men’s basketball team is still waiting on a decision from freshman point guard Kira Lewis, who entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal March 26 to explore his options after the Crimson Tide mutually parted ways with head coach Avery Johnson two days earlier.

New head coach Nate Oats has been re-recruiting Alabama’s leading scorer since he got the job March 27, and during a Monday appearance on JOX FM’s 3 Man Front, he provided an update.

“I feel really good about it,” Oats said. “It’s just one of those deals where you don’t want to push and pressure a kid like that. But I mean, the kid’s a projected first-round pick. He just had his birthday, just turned 18. I’ve got an agent, and went through and looked. The average age of an NBA draft pick right now is 19.6 years old, I believe, and it’s getting lower and lower. … He’s right where he needs to be. So, if he had to go somewhere and sit out, that doesn’t really help him achieve the goal he’s trying to get to. And our system is going to fit him great.

“… The floor’s going to be spread and we’re going to play fast, and he’s as fast as you get playing the point. So, our system’s kind of tailor-made for him. We’re going to continue to develop a relationship with him and his family, and they’re going to be comfortable. Once it gets to a point where they’re convinced this is the right spot -- and I was a high school coach, too, so I hated when college coaches would pressure my kids or pressure us into making a commitment on the spot, so I’m not really built like that. I kind of told him ‘Let’s just continue to develop a relationship, and you let me know when you’re all in here.’”

Lewis was one of four men’s basketball players to enter the transfer portal after the Tide made a coaching change, along with Dazon Ingram, John Petty and Daniel Giddens. Petty has since decided to return to Tuscaloosa and play for Oats, while the other three remain in the portal.

As of Monday morning, no decision has been reached regarding Lewis.

Alabama freshman point guard Kira Lewis

With Petty coming back, Alabama has seven scholarship players for the upcoming 2019-20 season. Add the trio of players UA signed in the 2019 cycle and recent commitment Raymond Hawkins, and that makes 11. And if Lewis chooses to come back, Oats will have 12 scholarship players for his inaugural season leading the Crimson Tide, which is one shy of the NCAA limit of 13.

Oats said he’s leaving that open for in-state forward Trendon Watford (without naming the 5-star and McDonald’s All-American) who will announce his college decision April 20. Oats visited Watford -- who has a top five of Alabama, Duke, Indiana, LSU and Memphis -- after he was hired.

“We’ve got one open scholarship for a certain player here in the (state). I’m not allowed to comment on that,” Oats said. “If things go like we’d like them to go, we’ll have a full roster. We may have another defection or two. It’s just new coach, new system. Do they fit our system well? To be honest with you, I really like most of our roster. I did think when we got here, we maybe had a few too many bigs. We like to play spread-out. Four-out, one-in or even five-out. Shoot, our five men in Buffalo were shooting a lot of threes. So, we maybe had a few too many bigs that weren’t skilled to play in the perimeter. We’re working on it right now.

“We had a week of workouts. We’ve got some guys getting more skilled on the perimeter and getting a little bit better that way. But I think we’ve got a decent roster to play the way we want to play. We’ve got some big wings that are skilled. Tevin Mack and (John) Petty, and we’ve got Herb Jones, who’s really skilled, can play 1-4.”

Listen to Oats’ full interview on JOX FM by CLICKING HERE.

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

*** Take advantage of 30% OFF our Annual VIP Pass for the first year ***