Alabama Football Players Pick Pickup Teams for Hardcourt

The No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide is set to take on the Auburn Tigers in the season finale on Saturday. The Tide is coming off a 66-10 route of Chattanooga in this year's version of a scrimmage before the annual Iron Bowl.

The football broadcast team has to dig deeply into the players and personalities in a football program in the midst of a blowout contest. One of the interesting facts John Schriffen and Rocky Bowman uncovered was exuberant confidence from an Alabama running back in another sport.

According to the ESPN broadcast Crimson Tide running back Roydell Williams claims to be one of the best basketball players on the football team. 

"First of all, Roydell is being very delusional with that. He’s kind of like a shorter big man, who expects him to be a good basketball player? But he can play a little bit," said Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.

McKinstry, the top-rated athlete in the state of Alabama in the class of 2021, was holding onto dreams that he may be able to play both football and basketball at The Capstone, given his talent at both sports. He helped Pinson Valley High School win both football and basketball state championships in 2018 as a freshman.

Williams, despite his claims, didn't even make McKinstry's starting-five. He instead turned to two other teammates that potentially had basketball options, a freshman and perhaps the best athlete on the team.

"But my starting five on the team, that would probably be me, Terrion [Arnold], Spoodie [Antonio Kite], Dallas [Turner] and [Kadyn] Proctor. That would be my starting five, and we could go play in the SEC after we’re done handling our business."

Terrion Arnold also spent a little time exploring his basketball future when he first arrived on campus and Antonio Kite reportedly had several DI schools offer him a basketball scholarship.

Williams was quick to comment on McKinstry's doubts as he led off his portion of the press conference refuting the cornerback's claims.

“Don't let Kool-Aid lie to y'all. I can get a scholarship in basketball right now. I can go hoop right now. All five of them — one through five. You can’t listen to Kool-Aid [McKinstry], I’m a big man, too. I can play the big, I can play the one, I can take it up the court, do whatever. Post up, post-fade — whatever you need.”

Officially listed at 5-10, 214 pounds Williams would certainly be a load in the lane, but his lack of length and height takes him out of the discussion for elite basketball players on the team. 

All five of McKinstry's picks tower over Williams, but it made for a fun moment during a serious week for the Alabama football program.

As for Williams, who would make his own starting-five?

“I can get him [points to McKinstry] on my team. I know he’s talking trash — I can play against him, too. Probably Terrion [Arnold] … and I’d probably grab another big man. Probably two other big men, I don’t know who though.”