Alabama’s Holloway plans to enroll in fall, aims to rejoin team

Following Friday’s reversal of his campus ban after his recent arrest, Alabama star Aden Holloway is planning to enroll in fall classes and hoping to rejoin the team next season pending the outcome of his legal case, his attorney, Jason Neff, told ESPN on Friday.

That decision, however, is out of Holloway’s hands after he was arrested days before his team’s first-round matchup against Hofstra in the NCAA tournament when police executed a search warrant and found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in his apartment. School officials banned him from campus and classes as a result. That ruling was reversed Friday following a hearing, according to his attorney. He can now attend classes and enroll in future courses.

“Although it’s not Aden’s call to make, given the opportunity, his intent is to play basketball next year,” Neff told ESPN.

Holloway was officially indicted by a grand jury Thursday on a Class C felony drug possession charge, “not for personal use.” He was arrested and charged with the felony drug possession charge and a failure to affix a tax stamp charge. Both felonies carry a maximum sentence up to 10 years in jail and a $15,000 fine. Neff said the indictment is a “procedural” and necessary step.

“This was bound to happen no matter what because it’s a felony,” Neff said about the indictment. “This is the normal process or procedure for any felony charge.”

An Alabama spokesperson did not respond to ESPN’s request for comment. Last week, a school spokesperson said Holloway’s status had remained unchanged after a judge granted him permission to travel, leading to speculation that he intended to accompany the team to Chicago for its matchup against Michigan in the Sweet 16.

There are multiple paths Holloway’s legal future could take. He intends to challenge the nature of the search of his apartment, prompted by items found in his trash. But Neff said that the state of Alabama moves slowly on felony cases and that a trial might not happen for two years. Holloway, however, may pursue other paths to resolve his legal situation.

“Whether it’s through a defense or settlement negotiations or pretrial diversion, whatever might come about over the next three, four, five months while this is pending, we can get moving on it now because in between district court and circuit court, until you get that circuit court case number or you’ve been indicted, to say it another way, you’re stuck,” Neff said. “It’s like purgatory.”