The solely character issues that arose when former Alabama basketball participant Darius Miles was evaluated throughout his recruitment needed to do with basketball, moderately than private character, Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats mentioned Friday.
Miles is one in all two males charged with capital homicide within the capturing dying of Jamea Jonae Harris, 23, early Sunday. He is being held with out bond, and a possible trigger listening to has been set for Feb. 7.
Oats mentioned Miles’ recruitment occurred in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, which required contact through Zoom and cellphone calls moderately than in-person, however mentioned he was assured in Miles’ character as a highschool recruit.
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“You get the everyday ‘He’s so gifted, typically possibly he takes performs off,’ however that had nothing to do together with his character off the ground in any respect. There have been zero off-the-floor character points after we recruited him. And to be sincere with you, even when he was right here, we had no actual points with him off the ground,” Oats mentioned. “He was a likable child, all people favored (him). The solely points we ever had have been to attempt to get him motivated to play just a little more durable in follow, be extra constant, simply basketball stuff. Nobody noticed this coming.”
According to arrest warrants made public earlier this week, Miles instructed police he supplied a handgun to Michael Lynn Davis previous to the capturing, and that witnesses recognized Davis because the shooter. Investigators consider the capturing stemmed from a minor argument between Harris, Miles, and Davis.
Harris and an unidentified man have been in a automobile when she was killed by a single gunshot wound. The unidentified man returned hearth, and The Tuscaloosa News has authenticated a video through which no less than 11 pictures might be heard in an trade of gunfire.
Per the movement for bond filed on Miles’ behalf Thursday, he had no prior prison historical past, based on his attorneys.
Oats mentioned he tries to go deeper than suggestions from highschool coaches in evaluating the character of recruits.
“The coach normally would not wish to say something (unhealthy) a few child, and we get that. We get a considerably sincere analysis from most coaches, however they need their youngsters to go to the best degree they will, if that is smart. You get just a little extra honesty while you begin calling the lecturers, the principals, steering counselors. … We have been at a faculty, me and Brian (Hodgson) have been, a pair weeks in the past in Ohio. We talked to the night time custodian. They had follow within the night, so that is the custodian that is across the workforce on a regular basis when no one else is round. You discover much more out about youngsters doing a little analysis like that.”
Oats additionally mentioned he suggested his workforce on how one can deal with the chance that college students or followers of different groups, throughout Alabama highway video games, would possibly say derogatory issues to gamers in regards to the expenses in opposition to Miles. Oats mentioned there have been no such points on the Crimson Tide’s sport at Vanderbilt earlier this week. UA travels to Missouri on Saturday.
“If individuals wish to be ignorant and say issues which might be utterly out of line … this is not a case the place anyone acquired in some mild hassle. These are critical issues. There is a 5-year-old that does not have a mom anymore,” Oats mentioned. “This will not be, to me, one thing college students must be joking about. If anyone does occur to say one thing, I instructed our guys ‘You’ve acquired to be sturdy sufficient, powerful sufficient, to only say ‘We’re right here to play basketball.'”
Reach Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @chasegoodbread.