Sources: Tide pursuing Avery Johnson

ByJeff Goodman ESPN logo
Sunday, April 5, 2015

Alabamamet Saturday night with ESPN analyst and former NBA coach Avery Johnson about its head-coaching vacancy, sources told ESPN.

The sides are expected to talk again Sunday night, a source told ESPN.com's Andy Katz.

Johnson, 50, is from New Orleans and played in the NBA. He coached the Dallas Mavericks from 2005 to 2008 and the Brooklyn Nets from 2010 to 2012.

Alabama swung and missed on Wichita State's Gregg Marshall earlier in the week after offering him a deal worth $4 million per year. Marshall opted to stay with the Shockers on a seven-year deal worth $3 million annually, sources said.

Johnson would join his son in the SEC if a deal came to fruition. Avery Johnson Jr. is a freshman point guard at Texas A&M.

Sources told ESPN that Murray State coach Steve Prohm, who attended Alabama, and Louisiana Tech's Mike White are also involved in talks with the school.

The Crimson Tide fired Anthony Grant last month after six seasons in which he went117-85.