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Alabama reportedly hires Avery Johnson as head coach
A few weeks after firing Anthony Grant, Alabama has reportedly found his replacement.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, former NBA coach and current ESPN analyst Avery Johnson has “verbally agreed” to take the job at Alabama. Terms of the agreement are unknown at this time.
The 50-year-old Johnson was the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks from 2005 to 2008 and the Brooklyn Nets from 2010 to 2012. Johnson had a 254-186 overall record as a head coach and earned Coach of the Year honors for leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2006.
Johnson, a 16-year NBA point guard who won a title with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999, has never coached in college. However, his son Avery Johnson Jr. recently finished his freshman season as a point guard at Texas A&M, so he does have some familiarity with SEC hoops.
Johnson, a New Orleans native, led the NCAA in assists during his junior and senior seasons at Southern, where he was twice named the SWAC Player of the Year.
Before coming to an agreement with Johnson, Alabama made a run at Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall, but Marshall signed an extension to stay with the Shockers.
Alabama finished 19-15 in the 2014-15 season and went 8-10 in SEC play. The Crimson Tide knocked off Illinois 79-58 in the first round of the NIT but fell in the second round to Miami on March 21.
The program last reached the NCAA tournament in 2012.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
