Alabama’s Latrell Wrightsell Jr. Exits Auburn Game Early With Knee Injury
In a hard-fought 96-92 win over Auburn, Alabama had to navigate the second half without one of its key backcourt contributors. Senior guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. exited the game in the first half with a right knee injury and did not return.
Wrightsell, who got the start for the Crimson Tide, logged 11 minutes before being helped off the floor during a timeout with 7:54 remaining in the first half. His early exit left a noticeable void on both ends of the court. Before heading to the locker room, he had already made his presence felt-dropping in five points on a layup and a three-pointer, while also adding an assist and a steal.
After the game, head coach Nate Oats addressed the situation but didn’t have a definitive update.
“Wrightsell’s got-we don’t know what exactly his right knee injury is,” Oats said. “He’s going to get examined tomorrow, but you know, he’s kind of one of our tougher guys playing both sides of the ball.”
That toughness has been on display all season, even as Wrightsell has battled through a string of injuries. Earlier in the week, following Alabama’s win over Texas A&M, Oats mentioned that Wrightsell had a scare during Tuesday’s practice. It wasn’t even in a drill-just a simple collision that raised concerns about his Achilles.
Despite the injury setbacks, Wrightsell has remained a steady presence in Alabama’s rotation, valued for his two-way effort and veteran leadership. His ability to stretch the floor offensively and lock in defensively has made him a key piece of the Tide’s game plan, especially in SEC play.
Alabama, now 16-7 overall and 6-4 in the SEC, will look to regroup and possibly adjust their rotation ahead of their next matchup on Wednesday, Feb. 11, when they travel to face Ole Miss. Wrightsell’s status will be one to monitor closely, especially as the Crimson Tide look to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.