​Drew Fielder didn’t come to Alabama basketball looking to become an entirely different player.The 6-foot-11, 225-pound Boise State transfer came to Tuscaloosa looking for more ways to show the athlete he already believed he could be, and of course, to win. Fielder emerged as one of the Mountain West’s more productive big men last season, averaging a career-high 14.7 points and 5.7 rebounds while starting 30 of 32 games. At Boise State, much of his offensive role kept him operating as the primary post presence. The Crimson Tide has begun stretching those boundaries, demanding more, but giving more, too.Alabama is allowing Fielder the freedom to show his range and versatility while challenging him to adjust to a faster pace and the expectations that come with joining a program accustomed to playing deep into March.REQUIRED READING: Why Alabama basketball alum Houston Mallette expects ‘big year’ for Aden HollowayThese days, Fielder has back-up around the basket. Alabama expects two new forwards and three new centers, including Fielder, on the roster and will be able to put two-big lineups on the floor, freeing up Fielder to show his range and versatility — something he believes sets him apart.“I think that’s my calling card, and that’s what I’m good at,” Fielder told Alabama’s NIL collective in September. “I think that’s something I can help be good for my teammates.”The perimeter isn’t new territory to Fielder, but he frequents it much more under Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats.Luckily, his dad encouraged adding outside shooting to his skill-set before he reached the collegiate stage. Last year at Boise State, he shot over 40% from the arc, which he also managed to do across 32 games as a freshman at Georgetown, where he spent two seasons.Now, Alabama is asking him to pair that shooting with speed.The Crimson Tide’s pace has been one of the biggest adjustments for Fielder, who spent much of his college career playing in some of the nation’s slower offenses.“We practice super hard,” Fielder said. “There’s a reason that they’re a No. 1 offense. I’ve played on teams that have been in the middle third or the last third in pace, and then this is top five.”Playing that fast means learning to make decisions just as quickly. Fielder said his emphasis has been limiting turnovers while figuring out how to remain efficient at Alabama’s preferred tempo.Drew Fielder eyes first NCAA Tournament run with AlabamaThere’s another adjustment, too.Fielder has yet to play in an NCAA Tournament game. He came into an Alabama program fresh off of its fourth consecutive Sweet 16 run, familiar with not just postseason, but Final Four expectations and a roster filled with players he believes have legitimate professional potential.For Fielder, that environment has made his own evolution easier to embrace.“I was just thinking the other day, man, if only I had been a freshman here,” Fielder said. “It’s just the resources and just how well that you get taken