March 17, 2026
He has been hit with two felony charges: first-degree possession of marijuana, not for personal use, and failure to affix a tax stamp.
As the University of Alabama men’s basketball team prepares for its first-round matchup against Hofstra University for the start of the NCAA Tournament, it will be without one of its best players, Aden Holloway, who has been arrested after being hit with two felony charges: first-degree possession of marijuana, not for personal use, and failure to affix a tax stamp.
According to The Associated Press, the 21-year-old student-athlete was arrested after a search by the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force near the school’s campus. During the visit, law enforcement “recovered more than a pound of marijuana, paraphernalia and cash,” Tuscaloosa police spokesperson Stephanie Taylor stated in an email.
The arrest took place on March 16, when Holloway was taken to jail before 10 a.m. and was released less than an hour later on a $5,000 bond. If convicted of the most serious charge of possession, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $15,000.
Alabama released a written statement saying that Holloway was “removed” from campus while the investigation into the case is underway.
“The University is aware of the allegations and is working to gather more information,” the school wrote in a statement. “The student has been removed from campus pending further investigation by the UA Office of Student Conduct.”
Holloway, who is a sophomore, is the team’s second leading scorer at 16.8 points a game, and was leading the team in 3-point shooting as one of the starters. The guard is making 43.1% of his shots behind the 3-point line. The post-season tournament, also known as March Madness, starts March 16, for the battle to be called the best team in college basketball.
Alabama, which has a record of 23-9, is the No. 4 seed in the tournament, and its first-round opener will be in Tampa, Florida, against Long Island’s Hofstra University.
The coach, Nate Oats, doesn’t seem worried about the team’s performance in the tournament.
“If we’re going to lose a guy, losing him in the backcourt is the place where we got the most depth,” Oats said. “I told the guys that this team, more than any I’ve coached, is equipped to handle a situation like this. We’ve won plenty of games with guys not available, so they’ll be ready.”
