Alabama director of athletics Mal Moore was a one-man search committee when he found Nick Saban.

He’ll have some help as he looks for Mark Gottfried’s replacement to lead the Alabama basketball program.

Moore said Tuesday he will consult execute director of athletics Dave Hart and call on friends he trusts in college basketball to find a coach “that we feel can put us in the championship picture.”

It won’t be a quick search. Moore said he will compile a wish list of three candidates in the coming days, then gauge their interest in the situation in the postseason. Moore stressed that he’s looking for “a proven head coach.”

Interim coach Philip Pearson is unlikely to be considered.

“Philip and I have talked about this,” Moore said. “I’ve asked him to step in, to take this job, to enjoy it, to have some fun the remainder of the season. I’ve talked to all of the coaches and given them my support there every way that I can. But we are looking for a proven head coach, without question.”

Moore disclosed that Gottfried, who resigned Monday in his 11th season, will be paid $2.25 million, which is approximately the amount he was scheduled to make for the remainder of his contract.

Moore described a scene that didn’t fit most resignations when he was asked about the timing of the change.

“I think a couple of years now, it’s been building and it built to a point that there was a lot of uncomfortable situations with where we were, where we were going, the lack of attendance, the lack of direction (from) the team at this point,” Moore said. “We just felt we needed to go ahead and make the decision.”

He also said nothing off the court affected the decision.

“I appreciate the way Coach handled the situation very much,” Moore said. “It was awkward and tough for both of us.”

Moore was asked if Ron Steele’s decision to leave the team had an impact on the decision.

“I have not identified that or any one thing. It was a number of things that has been weighing on the program for a couple of years now,” he said. “The direction that we were going. It’s been a tough situation for Coach and he had some tough breaks along the way, but still, we were losing ground, I think, with our fan base, with our support, with the excitement, what we expected and want for this team.”

As he searches for another coach, Moore is confident the facilities at Alabama will be attractive for a new coach.

“A newly renovated facility that I think is as fine as anyone in the country, an unbelievable academic center for all of our athletes here, a great weight room, great facilities,” Moore listed as selling points.

“And what an outstanding university we have that helps attract and recruit student-athletes. With all of this in place, our expectations for our basketball program, we want a competitive team that plays for a championship, both in the conference and the national approach, certainly. We expect that from all of our sports and we certainly expect it or strive to make this happen in basketball.”

Moore said it’s almost certain he’ll have to wait until after the season to hire his new coach.

“I wouldn’t want someone talking to our coach,” he said. “Once we settle in on two or three coaches then we want to go after then we’ll have a better feel for how to approach that coach or his agent or the athletic director at that particular university.”