Former Mavericks and New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets coach Avery Johnson is meeting with Alabama about their head coaching job.
After the Alabama Crimson Tide missed the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season, and for the seventh time in the last eight years, they fired head coach Anthony Grant. Now, they’re looking for a new high profile head coach and they may have found one in former NBA player and coach Avery Johnson.
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According to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, Avery Johnson is meeting with Alabama about their head coaching vacancy.
Alabama meeting with former NBA coach Avery Johnson tonight, sources told ESPN.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 4, 2015
Avery Johnson played in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks and retired after the 2003-2004 season and then took a job coaching the Mavericks as an assistant the next season before being promoted to their head coaching position from 2005-2008. After the Mavs were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round for the second straight year, Thomas was fired and joined ESPN.
Thomas was offered the head coaching job for the New Jersey Nets in 2010 who later became the Brooklyn Nets and spent two seasons with the team before being fired early in the 2012-2013 season after a 14-14 start. Johnson rejoined ESPN afterward.
Alabama needs a big name for a basketball program that has struggled throughout its history, overshadowed by their dominant football program. They’ve never won an NCAA basketball championship and their best finish ever was in 2004 when they were an 8-seed and made it to the Elite Eight where they eventually fell to UCONN.
Maybe Avery Johnson is just what Alabama needs. A smart and dedicated guy, who may have struggled in the NBA, but I’m sure Johnson could find success in the SEC conference with Alabama. He knows basketball and has proved his ability to adjust to new environments after he bounced around the NBA as a player 10 times in his career and has coached two different teams.
There were rumors that Alabama could go after Wichita State‘s head coach Greg Marshall, but he told them not to make him an offer according to a report. Clearly Alabama athletic director Bill Battle is looking to hook a big fish, and Avery Johnson could very well be his guy.
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