The University of Alabama athletic department has unveiled plans for major upgrades and renovations to its basketball practice facilities.

The expansion and renovation of the Coleman Coliseum Basketball Training & Player Development Facility is pending approval from the UA System Board of Trustees, but the Physical Assets Committee has already recommended approval of phases one and two.

Plans include a 48,000-square-foot expansion on the southeast corner of Coleman Coliseum and upgrading about 19,000 square feet of existing team space.

The men's and women's basketball teams will have their own practice facilities and weight rooms, along with a video room, lounge, sports medicine space and offices.

Both athletics director Greg Byrne and head men's basketball coach Nate Oats offered their opinions on the pending proposal.

We are excited to have a state-of-the-art facility for our programs and enhance the student-athlete experience!

I can’t thank the Board of Trustees, Interim President Trant, Greg Byrne and Chancellor Bell enough for their continued support, as well as our donors and incredible fans. https://t.co/WO4U6Rq37y

— Nate Oats (@nate_oats) June 7, 2024

“The expansion and renovation of the Coleman Coliseum Basketball Training & Player Development Facility will have an immeasurable impact on our basketball programs. I am extremely grateful to the Board of Trustees, Interim President Trant and Chancellor Bell for their thoughtfulness, and I also want to thank the donors who supported this project. This facility is where our basketball programs spend the majority of their time, and this project addresses an immediate and high-priority need for both teams by creating an optimal space for practice and development,” said Byrne.

“As a program, we spend the majority of our time in the practice gym, weight room and film study, so having a new expanded space for our student-athletes to develop is a huge possibility for our program. We have had tremendous support from our administration which has played a part in our success and I would like to thank our Board of Trustees, Interim Chancellor Trant, Chancellor Bell, Greg Byrne and Shane Lyons for driving this forward. I also want to thank our donors and fans for all they have done for us,” Oats said.

Michael Browner is a senior sports analyst and contributor to Yellow Hammer News. You can follow him on Twitter. translation: Listen to him weekdays from 6am to 9am. WNSP-FM 105.5's “Opening Kickoff” Available online for free.