"You have a choice": Alabama guard Houston Mallette opens up on redshirt season following injury struggles 

Alabama senior Houston Mallette only played six games last season due to injuries. He was rarely on the court for more than 10 minutes — except against North Dakota, where he played 19 minutes and scored 10 points.

Mallette last appeared in the Crimson Tide uniform on Jan. 8 against South Carolina, where he played three minutes before he got sidelined for the rest of the season because of a knee injury.

During a media availability on Tuesday, Houston Mallette elaborated on the challenge he faced while being away from the court.

"I think as people, we kind of have something made up in our mind like, 'Okay, this is going to be my plan. This is what I think the year is going to look like.' And when it doesn't happen, you have a choice," Mallette said (via an X post by CBS 42 reporter Arielle Schafer). "You can either feel sorry for yourself — that you're hurt or whatever — or you can learn from it.

"I just think coming from Pepperdine, which is a mid-major school, and being able to come to a program that just came off a Final Four is a blessing. The amount of stuff I've learned in the past year — I've never learned this much about basketball ever in my life. I love it."

Mallette has been granted a medical redshirt and will be on the Alabama roster for one final season.

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Houston Mallette praises Alabama staff after medical redshirt approval for knee injury

Houston Mallette joined Alabama last year after posting his best season at Pepperdine, averaging 14.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game as a junior. He played three seasons with the Waves before transferring to Tuscaloosa with hopes of elevating his game under Nate Oats.

However, Mallette's hopes of an impactful season were dashed due to a knee injury. In May, the NCAA approved his medical redshirt application, granting him an additional year of eligibility.

"I just want to first off thank God just to be able to even be in this position," Mallette told Yea Alabama following the approval.

"And I want to really thank Clarke Holter. He’s the best athletic trainer in the entire world. ... I’m just really excited to come back to this university ... This is a blessing. If I could be here 10 more years, I’d stay here 10 more years."

Mallette is among five players who will return to the Crimson Tide next season, including Aden Holloway and Labaron Philon.