Alabama Basketball: Looking back at the Crimson Tide career of John Petty

A four-year starter for the Crimson Tide who concluded his time in Tuscaloosa as the top all-time three-point shooter in program history, here is a look back at the Alabama basketball career of John Petty.

Looking back at the Alabama basketball career of John Petty

Petty originally came to Alabama as a member of the Crimson Tide’s 2017 recruiting class, rated as a four-star shooting guard out of in-state Jemison High School. A highly-rated four-star, Petty was ranked as the nation’s No. 36 overall prospect in the 2017 class according to the 247Sports Composite, as well as the top player in the state of Alabama.

As a freshman, Petty would make an immediate impact for a 2017-18 Alabama team that would reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament, starting 29-of-36 games to average 10.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 1.8 APG on 37.2% shooting from three. Making a freshman school record 90 three-pointers, Petty would also be named SEC Freshman of the Week twice that season, and posted multiple impressive performances, headlined by making 10 three-pointers in one game to set an Alabama school record.

Returning for the 2018-19 season, Petty would go on to start in 17-of-34 games as a sophomore, averaging 10.2 PPG once again, along with 4.2 RPG and 1.9 APG. Petty would also shoot 41.3% from the field that season, as well as 34.5% from three.

In 2019-20, Petty would go on to post what was arguably his greatest single-season in a Crimson Tide uniform, starting in 28-of-29 games to average 14.5 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 1.1 SPG on 46.2% shooting from the field, as well as 44% (led SEC) from three. Receiving Second Team All-SEC honors, Petty’s junior season would also include a performance of 10 made three-pointers per game, which tied his own school record from his freshman season.

As a senior, Petty would go on to average 12.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, and 1.3 SPG for the 2020-21 Alabama team that won the SEC, as well as reached the Sweet 16. Petty would also shoot 42% from the field, as well as 37% from three, that season, and would also lead the SEC with 77 made three-point field goals to earn First Team All-SEC honors.

Across his four seasons at Alabama combined, Petty would start in 105-of-131 games during his collegiate career, averaging 11.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 2 APG on 42.2% shooting from the field, along with 38.2% from three. As mentioned at the start, Petty also left Alabama basketball as the Crimson Tide’s all-time leader in made three’s, knocking down 311 total during his collegiate career.

After going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft, Petty would later sign as a free agent with the New Orleans Pelicans, and has since played with their affiliate in the NBA G-League, the Birmingham Squadron. Across the last two seasons with the Squadron, Petty has appeared in 58 games to average a combined 7.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.8 APG.