Arizonaβs Tommy Lloyd will likely become the Pac-12's second-highest paid basketball coach, behind only UCLAβs Mick Cronin, if his revised five-year deal is approved by the Arizona Board of Regents on Thursday in Flagstaff.
UA filed a proposal last week to give Lloyd a $1 million raise to $3.6 million in total school-paid compensation for the 2022-23 season. Lloyd also receives about $200,000 each from Nike and IMG, for a guaranteed total of about $4 million. That figure is just shy of the $4.1 million Cronin is scheduled to receive at UCLA next season under a revised deal that was approved in March.
Oregonβs Dana Altman would become the Pac-12βs third-highest paid coach next season, receiving $3.775 million that is all school-paid next season, while USCβs Andy Enfield could also be among the league's top-compensated coaches. As private schools, USC and Stanford do not have to disclose their coaches' salaries. But USC's tax filing said it paid Enfield $3.29 million in fiscal 2020, and USA Today listed his 2021-22 salary at $3.35 million. Enfield signed a two-year extension in March that will run through the 2027-28 season; the Los Angeles Times said he received a raise, though terms have not been disclosed.
Lloydβs proposed $4 million sum for 2022-23 would have ranked just outside the Top 10 nationally last season, according to USA Todayβs college basketball coaching salary database.
Receiving Pac-12 and several national coach of the year honors last season after taking over for the fired Sean Miller in April 2021, Lloyd led the Wildcats well beyond expectations in what was his first season as a head coach. The Wildcats went 33-4, won the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament titles, then earned a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed.
In UA's proposal to the Regents, the school said it wanted to rework Lloydβs contract after his βoverwhelmingly successfulβ first season, while also stiffening up a buyout provision intended to lock the coach in. Lloyd will have to pay UA $12 million if he opts to leave within the first two years of the deal, up from a $5 million buyout if he had left in the first two years of his previous deal.
Lloyd will have to pay $6 million if he leaves in the third year of the contract, and $2 million if in the fourth, fifth or in any additional years that might be given to him if NCAA sanctions hit the program.
βThis modification of financial terms demonstrates Lloydβs and UArizonaβs commitment to each other and commitment to the success of the menβs basketball program,β UAβs proposal to the Regents said.
Tommy Lloyd led the Wildcats to Pac-12 regular-season and tournament titles and earned a No. 1 see in the NCAA Tournament during his first year as a college head coach.
As with his initial contract, which had the same terms as Millerβs final contract, Lloyd is also scheduled to receive $100,000 salary escalators every season. That means heβll earn school-paid package of $3.7 million in 2023-24 up to $4.0 million in the final season of 2026-27, plus the Nike and IMG income.
Β UA continues to say it will propose a sixth year for Lloyd if NCAA sanctions stemming from actions before his arrival result in a postseason ban, the loss of two or more scholarships or other βmaterial restrictionsβ in recruiting for a year.Under the new proposal, a sixth year now would come with a school-paid package of $4.1 million. UA said a second extra contract year at $4.2 million would be proposed if the sanctions are handed down for more than one year.
Rim shots
β’ Departed super senior guard Justin Kier worked out Wednesday for the Washington Wizards. A native of Grottoes, Virginia, who also played at George Mason and Georgia, Kier posted a picture of Wizards gear he obtained from the workout.
Thank you! ππ½ @WashWizards pic.twitter.com/X23TuqQ0Xv
— Justin Kier (@Jkiiiiii__) June 8, 2022
• Former UA wing Bennedict Mathurin was projected to go No. 7 in the NBA Draft to Portland, according to a consensus mock draft compiled by NBA.com.
