TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Avery Johnson brought attention, more fans and several highly rated recruits to the University of Alabama men’s basketball program. He could not, however, win enough to stick around.
Athletic director Greg Byrne announced Sunday that Alabama and Johnson “made the decision to mutually part ways” after his fourth season coaching the Crimson Tide. Johnson’s buyout under a contract extension reached in August 2017 would be $8 million.
“It was an honor and privilege to work with these young men and their families,” Johnson said in a school release. “This was an opportunity of a lifetime, and we truly enjoyed our experience at Alabama.”
A former player and head coach in the NBA, Johnson led the Tide to a 75-62 record in four seasons, including a trip to the 2018 NCAA tournament that broke a six-year drought for the program.
Alabama lost five of its last six games this season, which ended for the Tide with a loss to Norfolk State in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament on Tuesday. The Tide went 18-16 in 2018-19, going 8-10 in Southeastern Conference play to finish in the bottom half of the league standings and losing in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament.