Nate Oats Named Assistant For 2026 USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team

Alabama head coach will join staff for upcoming FIBA U18 Men's AmeriCup

Feb. 23, 2026 at 9:04pm

USA Basketball announced that Alabama men's basketball head coach Nate Oats has been selected to serve as an assistant coach for the 2026 USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team. Oats will join former Alabama head coach Anthony Grant, who will lead the team, along with assistant Matt Langel of Colgate.

Why it matters

Oats' selection marks his second recent involvement with USA Basketball, having previously served as a court coach during the 2025 USA Basketball Men's U19 National Team training camp. This opportunity will allow Oats to further develop his coaching skills and gain valuable experience working with elite young talent.

The details

The 2026 FIBA U18 Men's AmeriCup is scheduled for June 1-7. Oats has led the Crimson Tide to four consecutive 20-win seasons and back-to-back Elite Eight appearances over the last two seasons, the first such stretch in program history.

  • USA Basketball announced Oats' selection on February 23, 2026.
  • The 2026 FIBA U18 Men's AmeriCup is scheduled for June 1-7, 2026.

The players

Nate Oats

The head coach of the Alabama men's basketball team, who has led the Crimson Tide to four consecutive 20-win seasons and back-to-back Elite Eight appearances.

Anthony Grant

The former head coach of the Alabama men's basketball team, who will lead the 2026 USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team.

Matt Langel

The assistant coach of the Colgate men's basketball team, who will serve as an assistant coach for the 2026 USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team.

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What’s next

The 2026 FIBA U18 Men's AmeriCup is scheduled for June 1-7, 2026, where the USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team will compete.

The takeaway

Nate Oats' selection to the USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team coaching staff is a testament to his growing reputation as one of the top young coaches in college basketball. This opportunity will allow him to further develop his skills and gain valuable experience working with elite young talent, which could benefit Alabama's program in the years to come.