Virginia Commonwealth University coach Anthony Grant said he has agreed in principle to become Alabama's coach.
Grant told The Times-Dispatch this evening that he could not comment further, but a press conference is expected on Sunday.
The college basketball world has been watching Grant since he talked to Alabama officials on Sunday and then, on Wednesday, went to Tuscaloosa and was given the on-campus VIP treatment at Alabama.
By Thursday night published reports said Grant had been offered the job and had five days to tell Alabama what his decision would be.
Meanwhile, speculation swirled around a scenario that supposed Florida coach Billy Donovan would be the top candidate for a job opening at Kentucky and that Grant would be Florida’s choice to replace Donovan.
That door, if it was ever open, appeared to slam shut today. Kentucky fired Billy Gillispie, but within minutes of that official announcement, Donovan issued a statement saying he was not interested in leaving Florida for the Kentucky job or any other job.
Grant spent 10 seasons at Florida as Donovan’s assistant and helped the Gators to the first of consecutive national championships before he came to VCU. He coached the Rams for three seasons, posting a 76-25 record. The Rams won three Colonial Athletic Association regular-season titles and two CAA tournament titles with trips to the NCAA tournament.
In 2007 the Rams eliminated Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament, a dramatic win that thrust Grant and the team into the national spotlight. VCU subsequently lost to Pittsburgh in overtime. In the NCAA tournament this year, the Rams lost to UCLA in the first round when VCU’s last-second shot to win fell short.
— Tim Pearrell
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