In a whirlwind day that included Kentucky firing its head coach and rumors swirling that Florida's head coach would leave, Alabama seized the headlines early Friday evening by securing its new head coach.
Anthony Grant, who visited Tuscaloosa Wednesday, and who was apparently mulling over Alabama's offer the past couple of days accepted the job Friday night.
Alabama athletics director Mal Moore, associate athletics director Dave Hart and head women's basketball coach Wendell Hudson met all day Friday, discussing the situation and talking by phone with Grant.
One source close to the situation said the chances of Alabama landing Grant were dim early Friday afternoon but by 3 p.m. it was beginning to look more and more plausible that Grant to Alabama would become a reality.
"Once Donovan decided to stay at Florida, it began looking better and better for Alabama after that," the source said. "The wheels started turning pretty fast after that."
Alabama is believed to have offered Grant a deal worth about $2 million per year.
“My family and I are very excited and grateful for the opportunity extended to us by Dr. Witt, Coach Moore and the University of Alabama,” Grant said in a released statement Friday night. “We have been given the opportunity to create a very special situation for men’s basketball at the University of Alabama and we look forward to getting started. There’s a commitment throughout the athletic department to make sure that we have the resources necessary to compete for championships.”
A press conference introducing Grant as Alabama's new head basketball coach will take place at 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Grant, 42, spent the past three seasons at Virginia Commonwealth and during that time guided the Rams to three Colonial Athletic Association titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances. His three-year record with the Rams was 76-25, including a 45-9 mark in conference play.
“As our search progressed over the last few weeks it became readily apparent that Coach Grant is an excellent fit to lead our program," Moore said in a released statement Friday night. "His record at Virginia Commonwealth is outstanding and his coaching background is filled with championship success at the collegiate level.”
Prior to that, Grant, who has a reputation as an excellent recruiter, was associate head coach at Florida under Billy Donovan and helped assemble a talent-filled roster that won back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007.
Grant, a Miami, Fla., native, replaces Mark Gottfried, who resigned in January. Philip Pearson served as Alabama's interim head coach through the remainder of the season. The Crimson Tide finished the season 18-14 overall, 7-9 in SEC play, and did not qualify for postseason play.
