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Aden Holloway, a guard for the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball, was arrested Monday on drug possession charges just days before the start of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament.
According to reports from ESPN and Bama247, the 21 year old player was taken into custody on March 16 after officials with the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force allegedly found more than a pound of marijuana, along with drug paraphernalia and cash, inside a residence located on 30th Avenue East near the University of Alabama campus.
Authorities from the Tuscaloosa Police Department told ESPN that Holloway, who is currently a junior at the university, was charged with first degree possession of marijuana and failure to affix a tax stamp. These charges are tied to the alleged possession of a significant quantity of marijuana under Alabama law.
Following his arrest, Holloway was taken to the Tuscaloosa County Jail early Monday morning. Officials set his bond at 5,000 dollars. As of now, authorities and the university have not released further details about the case.
Requests for comment have been sent to both the Tuscaloosa Police Department and the University of Alabama regarding the arrest and Holloway's status with the team.
Holloway has been an important player for Alabama this season. Before the incident, he was averaging 16.8 points per game and played a key role in the team's performance throughout the year.
The timing of the arrest raises questions about whether he will be available to participate in the upcoming NCAA tournament. Alabama recently secured a number four seed in the competition and is preparing for its opening matchup later this week.
The Crimson Tide are scheduled to play their first tournament game on March 20 in Tampa, Florida. Their opponent will be Hofstra Pride men's basketball.
It remains unclear whether Holloway will be able to join the team for the tournament or if disciplinary action from the university or coaching staff will affect his participation. University officials have not yet announced any decisions regarding his status with the program.
As the tournament approaches, the situation continues to develop while fans and analysts wait to see how the case may impact Alabama's lineup heading into one of the most anticipated events in college basketball.
