While the 2024 NBA Draft came and went without a call for Aaron Estrada, the Alabama standout will still get his shot at earning his way into the NBA.
On Friday, the Alabama guard reportedly signed with the Detroit Pistons on an Exhibit-10 deal, according to Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com.
Estrada played five years of college basketball for four different teams. His career began at Saint Peter’s before moving to Oregon. Just one season in Eugene meant a move to Hofstra for two years before ultimately landing with Alabama.
During the 2023-2024 season, Estrada was the Crimson Tide’s second-leading scorer. He averaged 13.4 points per game, shooting 44.9% from the field and 31.3% from deep. Alabama head coach Nate Oats is not afraid to let his players shoot and Estrada certainly had the green light, putting up 11.9 shots per game.
Estrada did not receive an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine, instead working out at G League Elite Camps. There must have been enough shown for the Pistons to feel good about signing him.
Aaron Estrada plays just one season at Alabama
Estrada enjoyed a long career in college basketball but spent just one season in Tuscaloosa with Oats and Alabama. He transferred into the program from Hofstra, getting back into a power conference following a stint at Oregon.
The move worked out for both, with individual and team success flowing. Estrada was able to showcase his talents in an NBA system while Alabama made a run to the Final Four. While they ultimately lost to UConn in Phoenix, Estrada could not have been more grateful for the experience.
“It’s been fun, man,” Estrada said about playing at Alabama. “Unfortunately, we didn’t win tonight, but I can say I took a lot of good things away from the experience. A lot of people don’t even make it to the NCAA Tournament. Up until this point, I’d never been to the NCAA Tournament. I can’t even really describe what the experience is like. You’ve just gotta be here to really get the full experience.
“As a kid when you watch the games, you only see what’s on the TV. You only get to watch the game. You don’t get to come back in the locker room, get to see all the media and all that stuff. Yeah, I’m happy with the season that we had, and we made history, as well.”
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