Florida coach Todd Golden celebrates Monday after the defeated the Houston Cougars at the Alamodome in San Antonio. [Matthew Lewis/WRUF]

Florida Men’s Basketball, Golden Finalize Contract Extension

WRUF Staff May 6, 2025 College Basketball, Feature Sports News, Gators Men's Basketball 46 Views

Florida men’s basketball coach Todd Golden has agreed on a contract extension through March 31, 2031, Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin announced Tuesday.

Golden’s contract now runs for the next six years and totals $40.5 million. The deal raises his annual salary to $6 million about a month after he led the Gators to the program’s third national championship in just his third season at UF. Golden, 39, signed a two-year extension in March 2024 that increased his average salary to $4.1 million annually.

His latest raise is a significant commitment from Florida and puts Golden nearly on par with football coach Billy Napier, who is scheduled to make $7.4 million in 2025.

“Todd has done an incredible job getting Florida men’s basketball back where it belongs,” Stricklin said in a statement on the school’s website. “We believed in his vision, his competitive nature and his modern approach to the game back in 2022, and he has validated that belief in a relatively short time and helped create memories of a lifetime for another generation of Gator fans.”

Golden is now the second-highest-paid basketball coach in the Southeastern Conference behind Arkansas’ John Calipari, who earns $8 million annually.

“My family and I are grateful to be a part of Gator Nation and for the opportunity to lead this great program three years ago,” Golden said in a statement. “As we’ve shown during our time in Gainesville, the University of Florida is an institution that has the resources, support, and people in place to compete and win national championships. I am so appreciative of each and every player and staff member who have been critical to the success we’ve experienced here. My family and I look forward to our future here at UF and to the continued success of our men’s basketball program.”

Florida (36-4) earned its sixth Final Four trip in school history after winning the SEC Tournament championship, the Gators’ fifth. Florida went into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed for the third time. Florida’s path to the national championship matched the toughest of all-time for a No. 1 seed, and the Gators were the first team to take down three ranked opponents to win an SEC Tournament.

Golden’s buyout if he were to leave would start at $16 million next season and drops annually: $11 million in 2026-27; $4 million in 2027-28; $3 million in 2028-29; $2 million in 2029-30 and $1 million in 2030-31. His NBA buyout begins at $3 million next season and drops to $2 million (2026-28) and then $1 million in 2028-29.

Included in Golden’s annual compensation is a $500,000 signing bonus, a $500,000 annual longevity incentive and a $60,000 annual expense account. In addition to that, he gets $70,000 annually in travel allowance for using the university athletic association’s plane and other fringe benefits valued at $62,000.

He would get a $100,000 bonus for winning the SEC regular-season championship, a $50,000 bonus for winning the SEC Tournament, a $100,000 bonus for making the NCAA Tournament and a $50,000 bonus for every NCAA Tournament victory.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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