Report: Ex-NBA coach Avery Johnson has verbal deal to coach Alabama

By foxsports
Published

It sounds like Alabama may have landed a new head basketball coach.

Former NBA coach Avery Johnson has verbally agreed to a deal with the Crimson Tide, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman.

Multiple media reports said Alabama athletic director Bill Battle was scheduled to meet with the former NBA coach of the year on Saturday night. Alabama embarked on a high-profile campaign to snare Gregg Marshall before he signed a contract extension with Wichita State.

Battle reportedly traveled to Dallas to meet with Johnson, the former coach of the Dallas Mavericks and Brooklyn Nets.

Johnson, 50, coached for parts of seven seasons in the NBA. He has never coached at the college level.

Johnson played for 16 seasons in the league, retiring in 2004.

His son, Avery Johnson Jr., just completed his freshman season at Texas A&M, averaging 1.4 points per game.

Alabama is seeking a replacement for Anthony Grant, who was fired on March 15.

According to ESPN, Murray State coach Steve Prohm, who attended Alabama, and Louisiana Tech's Mike White were also targets in the search for a new coach.