TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The offseason for Alabama’s men’s basketball team has been busy.

Players have left, like point guard Collin Sexton declaring for the 2018 NBA Draft or Ar'Mond Davis and Braxton Key choosing to transfer elsewhere. Players have returned, like forward Riley Norris, who was granted a medical hardship waiver for the 2017-18 season.

A trio of freshmen will also join the Crimson Tide basketball program in the coming weeks.

But often overlooked is the Texas transfer that will be eligible to play in November, Tevin Mack. And if what his head coach and teammates said Monday hold true, he will be a player Alabama fans will not want to miss step on the court next season inside Coleman Coliseum.

“He was our best player in a lot of our practices,” Alabama head coach Avery Johnson said of Mack at Monday’s team banquet. “We want to see if that can translate to the game.”

Mack transferred from Texas and sat out the 2017-18 season due to NCAA transfer rules. But he will be able to suit up for Alabama during its next basketball campaign as a redshirt junior.

The Columbia, S.C., native played in 48 games, making 10 starts, in his two seasons in Austin. As a sophomore, Mack led the Longhorns in scoring average (14.8 ppg) and 3-point percentage (.391) during the 2016-17 season despite playing in just 15 games. He shot 45.9 percent from the floor and led the team in minutes throughout the first 15 games (31.3).

He finished with double-digit points 16 times, including three games of 20 or more points, and reached double-figure scoring totals during 11 of his final 15 games with the Longhorns.

Johnson said UA needs “shooters that can shoot,” and Mack clearly fits that criteria.

Alabama G/F Tevin Mack

“He’s definitely got a lot better,” Tide guard Avery Johnson Jr. said. “He was the leading scorer at Texas, and he’s going to be a huge piece for us next year, so we’re excited to have him.”

According to the Alabama contingent that spoke to reporters following the awards banquet Monday, the redshirt year in Tuscaloosa has benefitted Mack, especially in routinely facing the likes of Herbert Jones, John Petty and Dazon Ingram every day on the practice court.

Petty, a soon-to-be sophomore guard, said Mack shot the ball well on the scout team prior to the NCAA Tournament game against Virginia Tech. That helped the Tide prepare for the Hokies’ sharp shooting from beyond the arc and ultimately helped it secure an 86-83 win in Pittsburgh.

“He’s going to bring a lot,” Petty said. “I mean he’s a great outside shooter, and he’s a hard-hat guy just like Riley. So, Coach Avery knows what he’s doing, he’s going to put all of our pieces and just make sure they work right together. We’re going to be pretty good.”

Mack’s inevitable inclusion in the rotation is one that is sometimes forgotten.

Part of that might be because fans were eager to see center Daniel Giddens get on the court after a redshirt season, only to watch him struggle with staying there because of foul trouble and end his first year in crimson averaging 4.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.

But the reasons for optimism with Mack is his position and what he’ll be asked to do.

“I think it’s different for a wing player,” Johnson said. “Sometimes with big guys, their timing is off, maybe foul trouble, they’re out of position. But for wing players, I think they have a better opportunity to adapt and adjust quickly.

“You’ve got to remember, Tevin had two years of playing at Texas -- even though the second year was cut short. But I think hard work this summer and coming early and staying late, I think he’ll have a better chance to adapt a lot earlier.”

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