ESPN has been the first to report that Avery Johnson has reached a verbal agreement with Alabama to become the Crimson Tide’s new head basketball coach. Johnson spent seven seasons as an NBA head coach – 2005-2008 with the Mavericks, and 2010-2012 with the Nets. He also spent 16 seasons in the NBA as a player. Johnson, who has never coached at the college level, won the 2006 NBA Coach of the Year award. He would replace Anthony Grant who was dismissed earlier this spring.