VIDEO: Avery Johnson Talks Team Progress Ahead of Trip to Canada

The Alabama men's basketball team travels north this weekend for an 8-day trip to Canada that includes three exhibition games.

The Crimson Tide continues preparations for the trip by finishing up the 10 NCAA-allowed practices, which includes an open day on August 2 so fans can see the team for the first time. It's a group that fans are excited about thanks to the program's first top-5 recruiting class.

Alabama returns five players with starting experience from last year's team, which advanced to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament and earned an NIT bid. With the influx of new players, including Ohio State transfer Daniel Giddens who is now eligible to compete, it will be interesting to see how Johnson manages the rotation.

The trip begins with a game against McGill University at 7 p.m. on August 9. Listen to what Johnson had to say about his team's progress so far in July in the video at the top of the page.