Alabama Basketball: Crimson Tide land elite transfer guard Aaron Estrada

The defending SEC regular season and tournament champions, Alabama basketball landed what is likely to be a significant piece of their 2023-24 roster Saturday via the transfer portal, as the Crimson Tide picked up a commitment from Aaron Estrada.

Estrada, who has spent the last two seasons at Hofstra, is currently rated as the No. 19 overall prospect in the transfer portal according to 247Sports, as well as the No. 3 overall shooting guard.

Alabama Basketball lands Hofstra transfer guard Aaron Estrada

Estrada did not originally begin his collegiate career at Hofstra, but rather in the MAAC at Saint Peter’s. With the Peacocks, Estrada would average 8.1 PPG during the 2019-20 season, receiving honors that included MAAC Freshman of the Year, Third Team All-MAAC, and MAAC All-Freshman.

After that season, Estrada would transfer to Oregon for the 2020-21 campaign, but would appear in only nine games with the Ducks. Estrada would transfer once again at seasons end, this time to Hofstra where the 6-foot-3 guard has enjoyed a massive last two seasons in the CAA.

Across the last two seasons at Hofstra, Estrada has averaged a combined 19.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.6 APG, and 1.5 SPG, while also shooting 34.9% from three, as well as 86.5% from the free throw line. Estrada, who has started in all 63 games, has also been named the CAA Player of the Year both seasons, as well as First Team All-CAA.

As for last season, Estrada comes to Alabama coming off arguably the best single-season of his collegiate career, one in which he averaged 20.2 PPG for the Pride, along with 5.5 RPG, 4.3 RPG, and 1.5 SPG. Estrada also shot a career-high 36.8% from three, as well as 80.9% from the free throw line, and was named CAA Player of the Year for the second-straight season as mentioned previously.

Looking ahead, Estrada is now likely to play a key role for the Crimson Tide in 2023-24, potentially in a starting role, and is a career 14.7 PPG scorer set to bring experience, elite free throw shooting, and more to Alabama basketball next season.