Alabama basketball in discussions with Pelicans assistant Ryan Pannone | Source

Alabama basketball is in discussions with NBA assistant Ryan Pannone for an assistant coach opening, a source with knowledge of the situation told The Tuscaloosa News.

Pannone has been an assistant for the New Orleans Pelicans since July 2022. Before then, he was the head coach of the Erie Bayhawks/Birmingham Squadron, the NBA G League affiliate of the Pelicans, from 2019-2022.

Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats and athletics director Greg Byrne attended the Pelicans play-in game against Oklahoma City on Wednesday night. Former Crimson Tide players Herb Jones and Kira Lewis are on the Pelicans' roster.

Pannone would fill one of three vacancies on the Crimson Tide coaching staff this offseason created by the departure of Charlie Henry (Georgia Southern), Bryan Hodgson (Arkansas State) and Antoine Pettway (Kennesaw State) to head coaching jobs.

Nicholls coach Austin Claunch is expected to fill one of the spots, though that hire has not been made official yet.

Before Pannone joined the NBA G League, he was an assistant coach for Hapoel Jerusalem basketball club from 2018-19, a role he also filled from 2016-17. Between those stops, he worked as the coach of BC Prievidza in Prievidza, Slovakia, among other stops. Another stop in Alabama he made was at Wallace State Community College as an assistant coach in Hanceville from 2011-12.

Pannone, a native of Clearwater, Florida, got his bachelor's degree from South Florida.

Alabama is fresh off a season in which it reached the NCAA Tournament for the third time in Oats' four seasons. The Crimson Tide earned a No. 1 seed for the first time in program history, winning the SEC regular-season title and SEC Tournament title along the way.

Alabama lost in the Sweet 16 to San Diego State, which went on to play in the national championship game.

ALABAMA BASKETBALL:Alabama basketball transfer tracker: Who's staying, leaving and joining?

RECRUITING:How Alabama basketball built an epic recruiting class fueling a March Madness run