Roydell Williams was unhappy as he stepped to the podium Tuesday for a press conference. The Alabama football running back needed to defend himself against what he considered to be slanderous allegations.

A UA staffer asked Williams if he’d like to address the situation right off the top.

“That I’m the best basketball player on this team?” Williams asked. “… I’ll go hoop right now.”

During the television broadcast of Alabama’s win over Chattanooga on Saturday, it came to light that Williams had crowned himself as the football team’s best hooper. When informed of the claim Tuesday, cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry took umbrage.

McKinstry himself was a solid high school basketball player at Pinson Valley.

“First of all, Roydell is being very delusional with that,” McKinstry said. “He’s kind of like a shorter big man, who expects him to be a good basketball player. But he can play a little bit.”

The cornerback spoke to reporters before Williams on Tuesday. As Williams headed to the podium, McKinstry reclined against a table on the side of the Naylor Stone Media Room, shouting out an introduction, repeating his “big man” descriptor of the 5-foot-10 running back.

Williams was first asked which position he’d play on the court.

“All five of them — one through five,” Williams said. “You can’t listen to Kool-Aid, I’m a big man, too. I can play the big, I can play the one, I can take it up the court, do whatever. Post up, post-fade — whatever you need.”

Besides those two, Alabama football has a solid selection of former hoopers. Terrion Arnold played in high school, as did Dallas Turner, who was good enough to be on Nike’s EYBL circuit.

Antonio Kite had scholarship offers on the hardwood.

Like most arguments of this nature, Tuesday’s is unlikely to ever be truly settled. But after the dust settled, Williams said McKinstry would be part of his starting five of current Alabama players.

“I can get him on my team,” Williams said as he pointed to the cornerback. “I know he’s talking trash — I can play against him, too. Probably Terrion [Arnold] and I’d probably grab another big man. Probably two other big men, I don’t know who though.”

McKinstry also shared his starting five. It didn’t include Williams.

“that would probably be me, Terrion, Spoodie (Antonio Kite), Dallas and (Kadyn) Proctor,” McKinstry said. “That would be my starting five, and we could go play in the SEC after we’re done handling our business.”