TUSCALOOSA — On the day Alabama power forward Richard Hendrix elected to stay in the NBA draft, Crimson Tide head basketball coach Mark Gottfried saw Justin Knox in the gym.

“Your world just changed,” Gottfried told Knox. “You do realize that?”

Knox replied, “Absolutely, coach.”

Gottfried must replace three starters who averaged 39 points, 16 rebounds and six assists a game from last year’s team that won five Southeastern Conference games.

Turning around a team that went 17-16 with the losses of Hendrix, sharpshooter Mykal Riley and point guard Rico Pickett is a daunting task. The team starts practice on Friday.

Finding a replacement for Hendrix, who averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds, is probably the most pressing issue. Of course, when he left after his junior year he created an opportunity for the Tide’s inside players — Yamene Coleman, Knox, Demetrius Jemison and true freshman JaMychal Green, a McDonald’s All-American.

“When there’s an opportunity for significant minutes, there’s a little more pep in the step all summer long to get yourself ready,” Gottfried said.

“Justin Knox has probably made the best impression, a guy you say, ‘Boy, he’s made a step up,’” the coach said. “I think all of them have done that. That’s directly related to the fact that, ‘Hey, I know I’m gonna play. I know I’m gonna get a chance to play a lot more minutes because Richard isn’t here.’”

Green is a 6-foot-9 freshman who averaged 25 points, 17 rebounds and five blocked shots at St. Jude in Montgomery. He is expected to contribute immediately.

“Well, JaMychal has to earn it, like every freshman does,” Gottfried said. “We expect him to come in here and compete pretty hard for it.”

In fact, Gottfried said replacing Hendrix can’t be done by one player.

“You just don’t take one guy who gives you 20 points and 10 rebounds and replace him with another one just sitting there that’s ready to get 20 and 10 on the first day of practice. That doesn’t happen.”

Instead, a committee of inside players will have to all contribute, the coach said.

“The younger guys gotta step up. JaMychal’s gotta get ready quick. We’ve got to do a good job of helping him get prepared as fast as we can,” Gottfried said. “But I don’t know that it’s just going to be just one player that fills that void.”

Another open spot probably isn’t as open as it seems. Pickett, who transferred, had potential that remained untapped at the point guard spot.

Ronald Steele returns after a medical redshirt year following several knee surgeries.

“I think Ron Steele’s gonna be ready to go right when we start,” Gottfried said. “Now, I don’t know that Ron Steele is going to play his best basketball of the season on Nov. 16. I think he’ll be a lot better when he gets some games under his belt.”

Steele will share the point with Brandon Hollinger and newcomer Anthony Brock, a junior college transfer.

“I think Brandon ... we know him and he knows us and there’s not a lot of surprises there. Obviously, with a guy like Anthony Brock, you like to get him some chances as well,” Gottfried said.

“I don’t think that Ron Steele needs to a 40-minute a game guy like he was three years ago.”