It’s easy to forget as we sit in the thick of football season and prepare to head down the November stretch, but college basketball season will kick off next week and the Alabama Crimson Tide has some of the highest expectations they have ever had in a preseason.

Receiving the highest ever AP preseason ranking in program history at No. 2 in the country, the Tide returns most of its nucleus from last year’s team that made the first-ever Final Four in program history as well as adding some new pieces to fill some of the holes that edition had.

Of course, things are still led by superstar guard Mark Sears who has entered the upper echelon of best players in the entire country and is finally starting to be recognized as such.

ESPN ranked the top-100 players in the country, and the Tide’s superstar came in at No. 3 behind only North Carolina veteran guard RJ Davis and Duke incoming freshman sensation Cooper Flagg.

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The Tide actually landed three players on the list in total with transfer center Clifford Omoruyi coming in at No. 36 as a player that fans hope will solve some of the crippling rim protecting issues last year’s team had.

Fan favorite forward Grant Nelson also joined the list at No. 43 after he struggled through the beginning portion of SEC play then rose his game to another level down the stretch including some of his best performances in an Alabama uniform during the NCAA Tournament.

It’s setting up be be a big season for the Crimson Tide and perhaps the most anticipated hoops season in Tuscaloosa in the entire history of the program.