BREAKING NEWS: Despite rumors of Kentucky, Nate Oats pledges to staying at Alabama.

It seems unlikely that Alabama’s head coach, Nate Oats, will be moving to Kentucky to replace John Calipari, according to recent developments and Oats’ own confirmation of his commitment to Alabama.

Despite being considered a top candidate in Kentucky’s coaching search, Oats made a public statement on ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter) affirming his dedication to Alabama. He expressed his full commitment to the team and university, emphasizing his desire to lead Alabama to its first national championship in men’s basketball. Oats highlighted his achievements at Alabama, including two SEC regular season titles and two SEC Tournament titles during his five-year tenure.

Oats’ coaching style, known for its focus on efficient offensive strategies and strong defense, has led to notable successes such as reaching the Final Four with Alabama this season. His recent contract extension includes a significant buyout clause of $18 million if he were to leave Alabama within the next two years.

As Oats removes himself from consideration for the Kentucky head coaching position, The Cats’ Pause is set to release an updated list of coaching prospects, excluding Oats and others like Jay Wright, who has also ruled out coaching at Kentucky.