TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Greg Byrne said he sought counsel from several people.

Former players, current coaches, etc. But most notably, Alabama’s athletic director talked to Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo during his process of finding a new men’s basketball coach.

When they started talking about Nate Oats, Izzo provided rave reviews.

“He said that when (Oats) was even a high school coach, he was up at their practice all the time, watching film all the time,” Byrne recalled Thursday. “He had great energy, and he’s a grinder.”

Byrne spoke with a lot of people. “Some really good basketball minds,” he called them, and they talked about a lot of different candidates for the Crimson Tide’s opening. When Oats’ name was brought up, the AD heard positive feedback. “It was great to get that type of reinforcement.”

He also reached out to some of Oats’ former players.

“That’s the best decision of my life to play for Coach Oats,” one of them said.

“My brother is playing for another school, and I wish that they would hire Coach Oats so my brother could play for him, too.”

“He told me and my teammates that he loves us. And I love him, too.”

On Thursday, Byrne introduced Oats as the 21st head coach of the Alabama men’s basketball program. Oats, Byrne and University of Alabama president Stuart Bell signed a memorandum of understanding for a five-year contract, which the terms for will be released at a later date.

So, Izzo’s endorsement, as well as several others, held some gravity in Byrne’s decision.

“I want to try and rely on people that don’t have an agenda in the search,” Byrne said. “With everything coming at you, they have an interest in somebody specifically. I’m trying to block that noise out and listen to people who, whether it’s ‘Hey, I just want to see a good basketball coach at Alabama,’ or somebody I have a long-term relationship that I know isn’t going to necessarily try to lead me down the wrong path and people who have a great understanding of the sport.”

New Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats

Oats spent the last six seasons at Buffalo, including the last four as the head coach of the Bulls.

Prior to that, he spent 11 years at Romulus (Mich.) High School where he coached the boys' basketball team and taught math. Making the NCAA Tournament in three of his four years at Buffalo, he quickly became one of the hottest coaching names in college basketball, which is why Byrne said the 44-year-old Oats was at the top of his list to begin his coaching search.

But even before his last two stops, he built a relationship with Izzo, who noticed his dedication.

“I was working Michigan State camps while I was still a Division III assistant back in Wisconsin,” Oats said. “I was driving to Michigan to work their camps because I respected Izzo that much. ... If I could get up there to a practice during the year when we were on an off day and they were on, I’d go to game day shootarounds, walk-throughs in hotels, when they’re on the road.

“As much as they would let me be involved in, that’s how much I was involved at Michigan State. I had that much respect for what Tom Izzo did. I never worked for him, but he was great to me.”

Oats now brings a “cultural playbook” with him to Alabama that consists of three core values -- maximum effort, continuous growth and selfless love. It’s not quite Nick Saban’s famed process, which is built on commitment, discipline, effort, pride and toughness, but Oats certainly checked all of the boxes Byrne laid out when he officially started his search for a new coach Sunday.

It doesn’t hurt that Saban and Izzo are friends, either, having worked together when Saban was head coach at Michigan State. “I think there’s a reason Coach Saban thinks so fondly of him,” Byrne said. And come to find out, Izzo is also a fan of Saban’s newest colleague in Tuscaloosa.

Like Byrne said, Izzo’s first words to the Alabama AD were that Oats was a grinder.

“I think in college basketball, in any college sports, you’ve got to get a grinder,” Byrne said. “I always say you’ve got to get your hands in the dirt, coaching your team, developing your team, recruiting, where you’re hands-on. … I mean just look at Coach Saban and the energy he puts into recruiting with the success that he’s had. You have to continue to do that no matter who you are and where you are, especially if you’re in Alabama basketball. You have to. You don’t have a choice.

“And so hearing those things really interested me in support of what I had seen on the floor.”

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 ***