Houston Mallette confirms he will return to Alabama basketball for fifth season
Emilee Smarr
- Houston Mallette, a senior at the University of Alabama, has confirmed he will return to play basketball next season.
- Mallette missed a significant portion of the season due to knee injuries.
- Despite not playing as much as he hoped, Mallette found other ways to contribute to the team, such as being a vocal leader.
- Mallette called this past season his favorite, despite the injuries, because of how much he learned and the relationships he built.
NEWARK, N.J. — Even in defeat, Alabama basketball players are still guaranteeing their returns to Tuscaloosa for another season.
After Duke’s 85-65 Elite Eight win on Saturday, senior guard Houston Mallette confirmed that he’ll be back to play for another year in Tuscaloosa.
Before the question of whether he would return for a fifth season of college basketball could be finished, the Pepperdine transfer was eager to answer.
"Oh, yes. I'm 100% coming back next year," Mallette grinned. "I'm really excited."
Houston Mallette confirms return to Alabama basketball for fifth season
"At the beginning of the year, it's kind of tough because you know it's going to be the last time you ever play with the team," Mallette recalled. "Every year, this game is different. Especially nowadays how kind of everything works out."
After already missing all but six games of the season with knee injuries, Mallette missed the first two weeks of Alabama's NCAA Tournament travels due to a non-basketball injury, which he revealed to reporters to be a burn. However, Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats wasn't going to let Mallette miss the trip to Newark if he didn't have to.
Even though Mallette wasn't able to contribute as a player like he'd hoped, his voice off the bench carried Alabama through times of doubt, from Mark Sears' benching against LSU to Grant Nelson's injury scare in the first half of SEC Tournament semifinals against Florida.
"I'm just trying to contribute in any way I possibly can. Being a voice. Being a light," Mallette said. "Just loving my teammates."
Mallette couldn't deny that he was "really emotional" that the season ended, but still called it "the greatest season" he's ever had.
"Even though I only played in six games, it's still my favorite basketball season I've ever had. I've never learned so much and I obviously love being around these guys."
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.