Nate Oats has zero desire to leave Alabama.
While his name has been linked to UNC's head coaching search, it appears that Oats, who is in his seventh season at Alabama, is very happy with where he currently is..
"I'm not looking to leave"
When asked about the North Carolina job opening, Oats made it crystal clear on his stance on the matter.
Tommy Lloyd failed in a major way trying to silence the UNC rumors
Alabama head coach Nate Oats on North Carolina rumors: 'I'm not looking to leave' | Zagsblog https://t.co/5WLipmEX9a
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) March 27, 2026
“If you’ve gotten to know me, I’m not a guy that’s always trying to jump around,” Oats said. “I love Alabama, my girls love Alabama. As long as we’re able to compete to win championships here, I’d love to be the coach to bring us our first national championship. To me, there’s absolutely no reason to leave here.”
Oats probably wasn't an option anyways
One thing UNC is looking for in its next head coach is bringing in someone who doesn't bring baggage with him.
Oats certainly doesn't have a squeaky clean resume.
Bruce Pearl slamming UNC for firing Hubert Davis may be the worst take yet
With several off-court player incidents and controversial comments during his tenure at Alabama, Blue Blood programs may be wary of bringing him aboard anyway. North Carolina doesn't seem to have a ton of (if any) interest in him, as various factors may play a role in that lack of interest.
If you're going by his ability to coach, he's an elite-level guy. The potential baggage may be too much to handle as the Tar Heels know any issues won't bode well under the national spotlight they are in.
Honestly, can you blame Oats for being happy right where he is? Let's face it: if Oats isn't looking to lead a Blue Blood program, Alabama is a pretty good spot for him to stay for the foreseeable future.