Gators Extending Head Men’s Basketball Coach Todd Golden
Photo: Gators head coach Todd Golden; Credit: Zach Goodall
Florida Gators men’s basketball coach Todd Golden has agreed to a two-year contract extension to keep him in Gainesville through the 2029-30 season, as first reported by 247Sports and confirmed via source by All Gators.
His contract, now spanning six years, is reported to be worth over $4 million annually.
Following a rocky first year under his leadership in 2022-23, enduring a 16-17 season with a first-round NIT exit, Golden took to the transfer portal to overhaul the roster and suit his desired style.
He plucked six new pieces from the open market, finding immense success in replenishing talent and depth in both the backcourt and frontcourt with the notable additions of Zyon Pullin, Walter Clayton Jr., Tyrese Samuel and Micah Handlogten.
Class of 2023 forwards Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh also entered the program this past offseason.
The newcomers, alongside select team veterans like guards Will Richard, Riley Kugel and Denzel Aberdeen have proven vital to the Gators' notable uptick in success, leading Florida to its first 20-plus-win regular season since 2017-18 — including 11 conference wins — to position itself for a return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2020-21.
Pullin (first-team), Clayton (second-team), Samuel (second-team) and Condon (All-Freshman team) earned postseason SEC accolades for their year-long performances in league play, contributing as high-level scorers, facilitators, rebounders and defenders consistently throughout the year.
The individual honors are a microcosm of the team’s big-picture success, according to Golden.
"Individual accolades are great and something we want to celebrate," Golden said. "But big picture-wise they don’t happen without the team. If we don’t finish with 11 wins in conference play – say we win seven – we’re not getting those conference accolades. While we will celebrate those individual accolades and efforts, I think this team more than any other, it’s the work done by all the guys that provided a chance for those guys to win those accolades. So continuing to pour into that team-first mentality I think is important, while also enjoying the recognition."
The unit as a whole ranks No. 28 in adjusted efficiency margin per KenPom with a top 20 most efficient offense and No. 33 in the NET heading into the postseason.
As a result of the improved form, UF will inevitably meet the expectations set out by Golden before the year, which included a return to March Madness.
The former San Francisco head coach cashes in on the drastic upswing in success with the new contract. He’ll aim to use that momentum as UF begins postseason play in his second year at the helm.
Florida will hit the hardwood in Nashville for the second round of the SEC Tournament against the Georgia Bulldogs on Thursday night at approximately 9:30 ET.
“We’re going to be in the NCAA Tournament and we’re going to have this again next week," Golden said, "but we have a great opportunity [at the SEC Tournament] to improve our seeding and play for four days if we do what we’re capable of. It’s great because it’s win or go home but we know we have games next week as well. There’s that pressure but we also have something at the end of the rainbow to take advantage of.”
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