Former math teacher and current Alabama men’s basketball head coach, Nate Oats, is a staunch advocate of analytics in the game.
He devised a unique blue-collar scoring system that is applied in every practice and game. This system awards non-scoreboard points for actions such as deflections, steals, blocks, rebounds, and recovering loose balls. Players can also earn points through offensive rebounds, diving for the ball, and drawing fouls. The player who accumulates the most blue-collar points by the end of the game or practice is rewarded with a construction worker hard hat.
Forward Mouhamed Dioubate has claimed the Hard Hat more times than any other player on Alabama’s roster this season, wearing it seven times. According to Oats, Dioubate, who is Alabama’s top bench frontcourt player, is the only player in Division I basketball to have 110 rebounds in under 310 minutes of play. His relentless effort on the glass and his overall hustle have earned him a playful nickname.
“Occasionally we joke with him because he’s not at all the Hollywood type—he’s a New York City kid—so we call him ‘Broadway Mo’ when we’re trying to tease him,” Oats said during a Friday press conference. “We call him soft to get him motivated. We tell him, ‘We’re getting the Broadway Mo today, not the tough kid from Jamaica, Queens.’ He embodies what we are trying to build this program around. We call it blue-collar basketball, and he’s as blue-collar as they come. He’s all about making stops and isn’t afraid to mix it up.”
Dioubate’s blue-collar mentality was particularly evident in Alabama’s recent victory over No. 14 Mississippi State, where they triumphed 88-84 on the road.
“He got almost every offensive rebound in the second half for us. Against Mississippi State, he hit a crucial free throw, made significant blocks, and had a pivotal play at the end where he knocked the ball off [Mississippi State guard Josh] Hubbard’s leg, causing a turnover that essentially sealed the game for us.”
Oats holds high expectations for Dioubate, who consistently rises to the occasion by fulfilling the coaches’ demands to their satisfaction.
“We switch him onto point guards when necessary,” Oats said. “We play him against fours and fives—whatever it takes to win. He’s never complained about minutes. We explain what he needs to do to get more minutes, and he just says, ‘Alright, got it, coach,’ and then does exactly what you ask. He’s a joy to coach.
“I’m really glad we have him because he teaches the other guys what we want. While he’s not the most skilled kid on the team, we’re working on improving that. There are certain skills he’s very good at. For example, he makes pocket reads as well as anyone on the team and finishes at the rim exceptionally well in certain situations.”
Dioubate’s combination of effort, versatility, and team-first mentality makes him an invaluable asset to Alabama’s basketball program.
