Alabama freshman point guard Collin Sexton

The Alabama men’s basketball team has held two of its 10 NCAA-allowed practices prior to its trip to Canada next month for three games. And already, head coach Avery Johnson has noticed a change in the tone of practice, thanks to the team’s newcomers.

Specifically five-star point guard Collin Sexton.

During an interview on Courtside with Greenberg & Dakich on ESPN Radio, Johnson was asked about Sexton and “the one thing he wants to get around to” the highest-rated player of Crimson Tide’s No. 7-ranked signing class, per the 247Sports Composite.

While Johnson said he’s heard some of the comments that Sexton can be too “boisterous” on the court and has been labeled by some as a “hothead,” he doesn’t want to change him.

“We need that energy, we need the communication,” Johnson said Tuesday. “My team last year was one of the quietest teams I’ve ever seen in my life. I often told them, ‘You can’t text on the basketball court, you have to talk.’ So, I love Collin’s energy. He talks a lot on the floor in a positive way. Every drill he takes very seriously. He has a professionalism about him where he’s laser-focused.

“And so the main thing is I just want him to be himself and if there’s something I need to tweak or help him improve in a certain area, we’re going to do it. But he’s had a positive impact on our team, not just in terms of our style of play -- because we weren’t a very good offensive team last year, so we need to score more -- but also just the way we communicate and helping the rest of our team communicate better and louder on the floor.”

Sexton was the nation’s No. 4 overall player in 2017 and is a member of the Crimson Tide’s seventh-ranked signing class, per the 247Sports Composite. And although he’s the player that garners the most attention, he’s just one of many talented players Johnson lured to Tuscaloosa for the upcoming season.

Three Alabama natives in John Petty, Alex Reese and Herb Jones are also newcomers for the 2017-18 season. Along with big man Galin Smith, Johnson and company signed five Top247 players this past cycle. And that’s not including Ohio State transfer Daniel Giddens, who had to sit out last season.

The Tide also returns 74 percent of its total scoring output, 58 percent of its rebounding and 77 percent of its assist totals from a year ago to go along with its freshmen and Giddens.

Johnson’s new roster will be on full display Aug. 7 in its first of three games in Canada against McGill University. Until then, Alabama’s remaining eight practices will be spread out over the next 17 days before it departs Aug. 4. But the early return on his newest players have been positive from the third-year coach.

“Our freshmen, they’re all hard workers,” Johnson said. “Fortunately on the high school level, even on the AAU level for the most part, they all had really good coaches and good experiences and they come from good families. So, they’ve all come in with really good work ethic. They’re willing to learn and they’re like little sponges, but they’re talented, they’re talented.

“Obviously, there are areas that they need improvement and we’re going to help them fundamentally. But their attitudes are good and they work hard and they’ve been very coachable. And also, they’ve been good teammates.

“… When you come on campus, it’s not about your stars, it’s not about whether you’re a five-star, four-star, three-star. All that stuff is behind now. Now, you’re a part of Alabama basketball and trying to help us get to where we want to go. But overall, they’ve been great teammates.”

Listen to the full interview on Courtside with Greenberg & Dakich on ESPN Radio.

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