With the departure of Monty Williams to be the head coach of the Phoenix Suns, it looks like Brett Brown may be turning to another former NBA player and head coach to fill the role.
Avery Johnson is interviewing for a job on the Sixers’ coaching staff, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia. It was first reportedy by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Johnson was most recently the head coach at Alabama, but was let go after four seasons, compiling a record of 75-62 with one NCAA Tournament appearance. The former point guard was also the head coach of the Nets and Mavericks. With Dallas, he had back-to-back 60-win seasons and reached the NBA Finals in 2006.
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Like Williams, the diminutive Johnson is a former NBA player that spent time with the Spurs. He was in San Antonio for two different stints and spent parts of 10 seasons there. He played under Brown’s mentor, Gregg Popovich, for parts of five seasons. He won an NBA title as the legendary coach’s starting point guard in 1998-99. Brown and Johnson were never with the Spurs together, missing each other by one season.
Johnson also had two stints as a TV analyst for ESPN.
Brown lost his two top assistants in Williams and Billy Lange, who replaced Phil Martelli at Saint Joseph’s. Veteran coach Jim O’Brien went from an advisory role to a bench role in Lange’s stead. The team also promoted Lindsey Harding from the scouting department to assistant coach in charge of player development, making her the first female coach in the team’s history.
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