Florida Basketball Coach Golden's New Contract

0:00On March 25th, Florida basketball coach Todd Golden could soon land his third contract extension in three years. The 40-year-old has drawn interest from powerhouses like Kansas and North Carolina, where jobs might open up. As Lettich director Scott Strickland says, the school will do whatever it takes to keep him, emphasizing how valuable Golden is to the program. Golden already bumped his average annual salary to $6,750,000 with back-to-back deals. First in March 20th, 24th and then last May. Among active coaches with national titles, he ranks fifth and paid behind names like Bill Self and John Calapary. His current pact runs five more years, with a $16 million buyout that dips to $11 million after April 16th. Golden made history as the fastest Florida coach to hit 100 wins, doing it in just 139 games. He earned South Eastern Conference Coach of the Year honors after turning around a rocky start, going 21 and 2 down the stretch with a gritty paint-focused style that connected fans to the team.

1:06Strickland called the past year under Golden, unbelievable, praising the staff and players for representing the school so well. Officials believed tweaking the deal could keep the buyout strong enough to deter rivals. With Golden committed to Gainesville, Florida expects a lasting powerhouse program that builds on this momentum and keeps delivering for Gator Nation.