Re: Kira Lewis in the transfer portal (Update: Petty & Giddens do the same)
I think we're seeing the state get exposed in the overall talent level. Sure some of these kids are Mr Basketball, but when you're in a small town playing against schools with guys on their team that are just there to fill roster spots... it's a little different than playing in the projects of Philly or wherever.
Last season I went to Tucson for the Arizona game and I met a fellow Bama fan who lived in the area but was originally from the Gadsden area. He said in Arizona that kids are taught the fundamentals of basketball much better and much earlier than in Alabama. It's been discussed here before but there are various reasons why:
1) budget cuts have forced schools to hire either a good football coach or a good basketball coach but not both. Usually, as was the case at my school, the basketball coach was the assistant football coach.
2) Schools use to open their gyms weekends and summers for pickup basketball games but AHSAA rules do not allow this anymore (not sure if this is correct or not)
3) Football is so big here that the better athletes focus on football.
4) Kids play video games instead of getting outside and playing sports (this problem would not be limited to just Alabama)