Alabama Basketball: Looking back at the Crimson Tide career of Donta Hall

When thinking of some of the greatest interior defensive players in recent Alabama Basketball history, Donta Hall is certainly a name that comes to mind. A four-year player and three-year starter with the Crimson Tide, here is a look back at the Alabama career of Donta Hall.

Looking back at the Alabama Basketball career of Donta Hall

A three-star in-state prospect from Luverne High School, Hall originally came to Alabama as arguably the biggest name in the Crimson Tide’s 2015 recruiting class. Hall would go-on to make an instant impact with the Crimson Tide in 2015-16 as a freshman where he appeared in 33 games off the bench, averaging 2.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 1.7 BPG (sixth in the SEC), with his 55 total blocks that season also ranking eighth in the conference.

Coming off that freshman season, Hall would go-on to start in 20-of-34 games for the Crimson Tide as a sophomore, averaging 6 PPG and 5.5 RPG on 65.8% shooting from the field. Ranking Top 10 in the SEC once again in both total blocks and BPG, Hall’s 48 total blocks would rank ninth in the conference, with his 1.4 BPG ranking 10th.

Cemented as one of the SEC’s top shot blockers entering his junior season, Hall would make a notable jump in 2017-18, averaging a career-high 10.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and another career-high with 2 BPG to earn SEC All-Defense honors. Shooting 72.6% from the field (led SEC, No. 2 nationally), Hall would start in 31-of-34 games from the Crimson Tide as a junior, finishing Top 10 in the SEC that season in numerous statistical categories, while also leading the conference with a 27.5 player efficiency rating and ranking second with a 9.8 box plus/minus.

Coming off that junior season, Hall would once again put up phenomenal numbers as a senior in 2018-19, averaging 10.5 PPG and a career-high 8.8 RPG (led SEC), as well as a career-high 71.8% free throw percentage. Earning SEC All-Defense honors for the second consecutive season, Hall would once again rank Top 10 in the conference in multiple statistical categories, while also leading the SEC in total & defensive rebounds, offensive rating (129.3), total rebound percentage (18.1), and defensive rebound percentage (24.6).

For his Alabama Basketball career overall, Hall would start in 85 of his 135 games with the Crimson Tide from 2016-19, and would average a combined 7.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 1.7 BPG on 66.1% shooting from the field. A two-time SEC All-Defense selection, Hall’s 66.1% career two-point field goal percentage also currently ranks third in SEC history since 1992-93, while his 570 career defensive rebounds rank fourth in conference history since 2009-10.

At the conclusion of his Alabama career, Hall would go undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft, but has spent some time since in the league with the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, and Orlando Magic. Hall last played in the NBA during the 2020-21 season, and is currently playing overseas.