Alabama Football Spring Practice Day 10

Alabama's new men's basketball coach, Avery Johnson, visits Nick Saban at football practice April 8, 2015.

(Vasha Hunt/vhunt@al.com)

As pre-practice stretching began, Avery Johnson got the sign. Walking to midfield, Alabama's new basketball coach shook hands with perhaps the state's most recognizable resident.

"Well, we're going to have something to say about that because, even though he's a legendary coach, I think I'll have some pull in terms of decisions on the basketball court," Johnson said with a laugh. "But definitely not on the football field."

The two coaches met for the first time earlier in the day, before Johnson's 11 a.m. introductory news conference. They talked about a number of topics, including recruiting philosophy.

Saban's success and prominence doesn't intimidate his new co-worker.

"Coach Saban with his personality and all of his success, that doesn't scare me; it's like a magnet for me," Johnson said. "I've had my own success. I've gone a lot of places a lot of coaches haven't gone before. And I have my own personality.

"So a guy like Coach Saban, that is one of the things that attracted me to The University of Alabama. I was going to get interviewed some other Power Five conferences that didn't have the program like The University of Alabama, so I think it's a huge plus. I'm very close to Sean Payton; he's one of my best friends from the New Orleans Saints football team."