Florida basketball HC Todd Golden receives contract extension, among top-paid head coaches

The Florida Gators brought home their third-ever men's basketball national championship this past season, and while an immense amount of credit goes to those who performed out on the floor, plenty of praise belongs on the shoulders of the architect who assembled the title-winning program from scratch.

It only took three seasons for head coach Todd Golden to rebuild UF's roster into a title-winning team, utilizing an aggressive approach to the transfer portal while sprinkling some homegrown talent into the mix to produce a sum that was greater than its parts.

As a result, the 39-year-old was awarded a lucrative contract extension that places him among the top-paid in the college hoops realm.Golden's contract extension covers the next six years through March 31, 2031, giving him a $40.5 million salary overall, according to the university's announcement.

This comes just one year after he signed an extension through the 2029-30 season, which made him one of the top 35 highest-paid head coaches at the time."Todd has done an incredible job getting Florida men's basketball back where it belongs," UF athletic director Scott Stricklin offered.

"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."Todd Golden talks about his love for Florida"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 the press release."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," he noted.

"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."During the program's championship celebration during halftime of the football program's annual Orange and Blue intrasquad scrimmage, he also offered some flattering words about the Orange and Blue.

"My family and I love being here.

Obviously, it was a big change for us coming from the West Coast, not knowing a lot of people here.

But in three short years, we've been able to meet a lot of great people and get comfortable.

Florida's a place that we can win national championships, as we just proved," Golden said.

Todd Golden's three-season tenure at FloridaGolden struggled to a 16-17 finish in his debut campaign with the Gators, missing out on the NCAA Tournament in the process.

But keep in mind that at the time, he was coaching players mostly recruited by the previous staff under Mike White.

Last year, Florida improved to 24-12 while making it to the SEC Tournament Finals, only to ultimately fall to the Auburn Tigers.

Then the disappointment set in when the Orange and Blue faltered against the Colorado Buffaloes in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

This year, UF did not lose its first game until the SEC schedule opener at the Kentucky Wildcats, against whom they lost, 106-100.

Golden's gang would only lose three more games en route to the promised land and a third national title, finishing with an impressive 36-4 overall mark.

Golden holds a 76-33 record overall during his three years with Florida.Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball's Todd Golden receives lucrative contract extension.

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