Multiple basketball players enter transfer portal

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Ben Stansell, Assistant Sports Editor

In the wake of former basketball coach Avery Johnson and the University of Alabama parting ways on Sunday, several Crimson Tide basketball players have entered their names into the NCAA transfer portal, according to sources.

As of Wednesday afternoon, freshman Kira Lewis Jr., sophomore John Petty Jr. and junior Daniel Giddens had all entered their names in the portal.

While the fact that Lewis, Petty and Giddens have entered their names into the portal allows them to explore transferring, it does not guarantee that they will leave the program. But it does reflect the uncertainty that is currently hanging over the Crimson Tide hoops program as Athletic Director Greg Byrne works to identify and hire a new head coach.

Basketball analyst Jeff Goodman initially tweeted that Petty told him he was transferring from the program regardless of who the Crimson Tide hire as the next head coach. However, Goodman later tweeted to clarify that Petty was not dead set on leaving Tuscaloosa.

If Alabama does happen to lose any of the three players who have entered the portal, it won’t be the first personnel loss for the Crimson Tide since Johnson’s tenure officially ended. Guard Dazon Ingram announced on his Instagram Monday that he would enter the transfer portal as a graduate transfer and seek to play his fifth and final year of eligibility elsewhere.