"I always grew up being an Alabama football fan" - Brandon Miller calls Nick Saban a 'great role model'

As the Alabama basketball team prepares for its Sweet 16 matchup against San Diego State, they had an important visitor attend practice. Football coach Nick Saban showed his support and shared a message with the team ahead of their NCAA Tournament challenge.

Saban's appearance was well-received by Alabama's star, Brandon Miller. The future NBA lottery pick said he grew up as an Alabama football fan and Saban had been a role model for him.

“It was a great experience ... I always grew up as an Alabama football fan. Coach Saban has always been a role model for me. It was great seeing him an arm's length away from me."

Alabama coach Nate Oats was also in favor of the appearance and liked how it showed a connectedness between the programs.

Saban knows a thing or two about winning. The 71-year-old has gone 274-67-1 in his 26 seasons , which gives him an 80.3% win percentage. At Alabama, his winning percentage sits at 88.0%. He has won 10 Southeastern Conference championships and seven national championships as a coach, six of which came while he was at Alabama.

Alabama's NCAA Tournament outlook

For most of its history, Alabama has been a clear-cut football school. However, this has changed lately with the basketball program making a resurgence. After just two NCAA Tournament appearances between the 2006-07 and 2019-20 seasons, the Crimson Tide are in the tournament for the third consecutive year.

Expectations are the highest they have ever been as they entered the tournament as a No. 1 seed for the first time in program history. The Tide have looked like the best team in college basketball for most of the season. Alabama has never made it to a Final Four and was eliminated in the Sweet 16 by UCLA last year.

The Tide will look to change things this year and are favored by 7.5 points over San Diego State (29-6), seeded fifth in the South, on Friday night. If they move on, this will be the first time the program since its lone Elite Eight appearance in 2004.

If the team is to have the success it desires, it will take an impressive effort from Brandon Miller. He has been their star all season and is among the most talented players in college basketball. He has averaged 19.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 39.5% on 3-point attempts.

It has been smooth sailing so far for the Crimson Tide as they took down No. 16 seed Texas A&M Corpus Christi and No. 8 seed Maryland each by over 20 points in the opening two rounds. Friday night will be their most difficult tournament task thus far, and perhaps the advice from Nick Saban helps the Tide keep rolling.