Antoine Pettway could be key to Avery Johnson's success at Alabama

State Finals 7A semifinal

Alabama hopes to hang on to Mr. Basketball Dazon Ingram from Theodore, shown here in the Class 7A state semifinals.

(Hal Yeager)

Now that Avery Johnson has agreed to terms with Alabama to become the Crimson Tide's head next basketball coach, the recruiting questions remain.

  • Will he keep assistant
  • What kind of offense will he run?
  • Will

Johnson is set to follow Anthony Grant, who was fired after six seasons. Johnson has never coached in college, but had success early in his NBA coaching career with the Dallas Mavericks. His 16-year NBA playing career as a point guard will also appeal to recruits.

Antoine Pettway, assistant to the far right, is shown coaching last season. Pettway, a former Alabama point guard, has strong recruiting ties in the state.

"That would help a lot," said David Stair, who heads up the boys side of Alabama Elite, an AAU travel basketball program. "A lot of kids want to get to the NBA. He's got contacts and can make calls that other coaches may not have been able to make."

Johnson's national recruiting impact may not be known immediately, but the state of Alabama has several elite prospects in the 2016 and 2017 class. Madison Academy's Joshua Langford highlights the 2016 class, but the 2017 class has several more who could be high-level recruits.

Spain Park center Austin Wiley is a five-star recruit. Teammate Jamal Johnson, a point guard, J.O. Johnson wing John Petty and Pelham forward Alex Reese will be high-level recruits.

They know a lot about Pettway, who has been on Alabama's staff since 2008. The former Crimson Tide point guard, who led the school to the Elite 8 in 2004, was the primary recruiter for Alabama's three fall signees - Theodore point guard Ingram, Luverne forward Donta' Hall and Carver-Montgomery guard Brandon Austin.

"The kid really cares a lot about Pettway," Carver coach James Jackson said of Austin. "He weighs on every word he says. Coach Pettway was a great part of his recruitment. Not to knock Coach Grant, but he made a nice bond with Coach Pettway because he was his primary recruiter.

"Nobody was speaking to him like Coach Pettway was. He got out in front of everybody and he stayed there."

But Alabama still has to win Ingram back over, after he signed a financial aid agreement last fall but not a letter of intent. Alabama is bound to Ingram, but he can sign anywhere and he opened up his recruitment after Grant was fired. Ingram couldn't be reached on Sunday. Hall and Austin indicated they want to stay with Alabama and they signed both forms.

"The biggest concern for everybody is if he's going to keep Pettway," said Stair, who has been involved with AAU for 15 years and his son Ethan, a Hazel Green standout, signed with Mercer last fall. "He's very well-respected in AAU and high school ball as well.

"Not keeping him would mean the new assistants would have to catch up really quick to build relationships in state."

J.O. Johnson;s John Petty dunks against Ramsay during the AHSAA State Finals Class 5A championship game in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015. Petty is a prime class of 2017 recruit who built a relationship with Antoine Pettway. (Mark Almond/ malmond@al.com)

Stair, who knows the Huntsville area well, said he's aware Pettway has been up to see Petty play several times for J.O. Johnson.

"It would hurt if they didn't keep him," Stair said. "There's a ton of talent in the 2017 class."

The first live recruiting period is this coming weekend. There will be several AAU tournaments around the country and Alabama will need to have coaches visible to get a head start on future classes.

Stair is also interested to see what role the new staff would sell Ingram on playing. Johnson was a 5-foot-11 point guard and has a returning point guard in Justin Coleman who is smaller. Ingram stands 6-foot-5.

And here's a look at Alabama's scholarship numbers. The Crimson Tide, barring attrition, have nine returning scholarship players out of 13 available spots. Add Austin and Hall and it means there are two open spots.

If Ingram re-commits, then there would be one open spot for the 2015-16 season. Attrition, if that happens, would open up more spots.

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