ABC Sports Hires Valvano : Basketball: The ousted North Carolina State coach will team up with Brent Musburger. His contract calls for $900,000 for three years.

Jim Valvano, forced out last winter as North Carolina State basketball coach, has agreed to a three-year deal with ABC for a reported $900,000.

Dennis Swanson, the president of ABC Sports, said Valvano will be teamed on college basketball telecasts with Brent Musburger, who recently signed with the network after being let go by CBS the day before he broadcast the NCAA final for that network.

Valvano agreed to a buyout of his contract on April 7 after unsubstantiated allegations, made ironically by ABC News, that N.C. State players had been involved in fixed games.

Valvano had also been criticized about a lack of academic progress in the program, which was placed on probation for violations involving complimentary tickets and sneakers. He finally agreed to have his lifetime contract bought out for $600,000.

Swanson said he doesn’t think Valvano will present image problems for the network.

“We think the keys are a knowledge of basketball and the ability to communicate,” he said. “We think Jim has both.”

Valvano said the problems at N.C. State might allow him to bring to broadcasting an insight into college athletics that others don’t have.

“I understand more than most analysts what is going on in college basketball today,” he said. “I feel very comfortable in not just talking about a pick and roll and making a comical comment.”

Keith Jackson and Dick Vitale will be the other team for ABC, which will carry college basketball on 11 weekends next season.