INDIANAPOLIS—Relax, Wildcat Nation. He’s not going anywhere.
Arizona has announced a contract extension for men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd, locking him in through the 2030-31 season and putting an end to a 2-week saga where he was considered a top candidate for the opening at North Carolina.
“I’m happy to announce I’m staying at Arizona,” Lloyd said Friday during his press conference at Lucas Oil Stadium ahead of the Final Four. “We’ve been able to get some things done the past couple days. Arizona basketball,
you guys know what it means to me, and when I say it’s a special place, that always comes from the bottom of my heart.”
Lloyd, 51, has the UA in the Final Four for the first time since 2001. He is 148-35 with the Wildcats, the most wins in his first five years as a coach. This season the Wildcats are 36-2, the best record in school history, and take on Michigan in the national semifinals on Saturday night.
Terms of the new deal have not been released, but ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Lloyd will make “nearly $7.2 million” in 2026-27 and after $7.5 million over the 5-year deal. His previous extension, signed last April, averaged $5.8 million per year.
The new deal is expected to be approved at the next Arizona Board of Regents meeting scheduled for April 16-17 at the UA.
CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander reported that North Carolina made a “top-two” contract offer to Lloyd, but he opted to stay at Arizona. Norlander also reported that Lloyd will no longer report to athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois.
Speculation over Lloyd possibly leaving began after UNC fired Hubert Davis on March 24, with many outlets reporting him as one of the top candidates if not the No. 1 choice. Asked about the opening multiple times since then, Lloyd has consistently said that his focus is on Arizona and trying to win the school’s second NCAA title.
“Nothing is distracting me, that’s just how I’ve decided to approach it,” Lloyd said Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium. “I’m not a multitasker. You can ask my wife. I’m 100 percent locked in on Arizona basketball right now, and I’m excited to see what this team can do. I have a real strong belief in this team, and this team deserves my full attention, so that’s what I’m giving them.”
Lloyd finally acknowledged UNC’s interest on Friday, saying “North Carolina is an amazing place. I mean, it’s a one of one. It’s an honor to even be considered for that job. The young kid, for me the college basketball junkie watching those games at home, never would have thought something like that could have happened to somebody like me.”
Among the reports linking Lloyd to UNC was one that purported that Tar Heels legend Michael Jordan called him between the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, but Lloyd debunked that claim.
“The phone call never did happen, so I’ll put that to rest,” he said. My Michael Jordan is Steve Kerr, and I’m proud to be an Arizona Wildcat.”
