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Coach K Was Paid $12.5 Million in 2020–21 Season at Duke, per Report

Duke’s federal tax filings from 2020–21 have been released, and it appears that coach Mike Krzyzewski’s paycheck resulted in the country’s highest for collegiate coaches by a landslide.

Last year, Coach K made a total of $12.5 million from his combined compensation ($3.3 million), benefits/deferred ($7.2 million) and expenses/etc. ($2 million), according to Sportico. Coach K’s final season paycheck will not be released until next year.

The Duke men’s basketball program reportedly earned $22.5 million during the 2020–21 season, so over half of the team’s earnings went to Coach K.

On top of his earnings from Duke, Coach K has received money through sponsorships or advertisements. Some of those companies include Allstate, American Express and Nike. The now-retired coach also appeared in AT&T commercials during this year’s NCAA tournament.

The second highest-paid college basketball coach, Kansas’ Bill Self, made $10.2 million. Alabama’s Nick Saban earned the most out of any college football coach at $9.8 million. Additionally, Coach K ranks fourth in the nation for earnings made by a coach either in professional or collegiate sports.

Last year’s amount also ranks as Coach K’s highest paycheck in his career. Previously, his highest-paid year was 2011–12, when he earned a total of $9.6 million. In comparison, Coach K made $7.3 in 2019–20. 

The former Duke coach has earned at least $1 million per year since 2004. In his entire 42-year career, he earned over $100 million while coaching at Duke.

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