BREAKING: Illinois Agrees To Contract Extension With Brad Underwood
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Brad Underwood and his bosses at Illinois have announced a new contract extension guaranteed to make them both very happy for several years.
The new deal, announced Monday afternoon and pending Board of Trustees approval next week, adds three years to Underwood's original six-year contract, which was signed in 2017 when he first took over the Illini program.
The new agreement will move Underwood’s base salary to $3.4 million per season and will include annual increases that will see his salary get to as much as $4 million by the final year of this new extension.
“Serving as head coach at the University of Illinois is a professional dream come true," Underwood stated in a university release. "I am honored to be one part of what is a collective effort in working to get Illinois Basketball where it needs to be. Building a program is hard work; there are no short cuts. But I am excited by the growth we've seen. We are gaining momentum and continuing to climb that mountain.”
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood (right) gets a hug from Athletic Director Josh Whitman after the win against Ohio State at Value City Arena.
Joe Maiorana/USA TODAY Sports
Underwood would also receive a $750,000 retention bonus if he concludes this new extension as the Illinois coach. In order to further ensure that would happen, Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman was able to negotiate a new clause to Underwood’s deal that says if the Illini third-year coach were to accept a coaching position elsewhere after this season, he would owe the university an $8 million buyout. This buyout figure decreases each year of the agreement, but any NCAA tournament appearance between 2022 and 2025 allows for subsequent extensions to automatically kick in and allow this agreement between Underwood and the University of Illinois to potentially reach the 2029-30 season.
“I am extremely pleased with the upward trajectory of our Fighting Illini men's basketball program and believe we are headed toward a championship future," Whitman said in the university release announcing Underwood’s extension. "Under Coach Underwood's leadership, our student-athletes have showed steady progress on the court and in the classroom. He has instilled a culture based on competitiveness, toughness, preparation, and accountability that is yielding exciting results. His ability to project a vision for the program's future, to recruit elite players to Champaign-Urbana, and to develop them into a winning team has exceeded even my admittedly high expectations at this relatively early stage in his tenure. Perhaps most importantly, I have enjoyed seeing the bonds formed between players and players and players and coaches, all of whom care deeply about one another, who are committed to their collective successes, and who support each other, on the court and off, in victory and defeat.”
Underwood isn’t the only Illini basketball staff member getting a financial raise and more long-term security. Illinois also agreed, as part of Underwood’s new extension, to increase the salary pool by 25% on contracts for assistant coaches Orlando Antigua, Chin Coleman and Stephen Gentry through the 2021-22 seasons. Illinois basketball strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher also agreed to an extension through the 2021-22 season.
“I am a relationships-driven person, and I cannot express enough how grateful I am for Josh's leadership and unwavering support of our program,” Underwood said in the release. “He is relentless in his efforts to provide us the resources we need to push forward. His love for the University of Illinois and vision for Illinois athletics is the perfect match for me and the drive I have as a head coach. I also want to recognize our assistant coaches and entire staff, all of whom have worked around the clock during my tenure and will continue to do so every single day moving forward. They share my passion for the game of basketball and desire to help young people succeed.”
Following the 67-66 win over Indiana Sunday, Illinois currently sits in a tie for second place in the Big Ten Conference standings, and its 12 league victories are the most by the program since 2005. With just two regular-season games left and the conference tournament, the Illini are all but guaranteed a berth in what will be the school’s first NCAA tournament appearance since 2013. Illinois (20-9, 12-6) also regained a national ranking Monday by being place No. 23 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll.
“I am grateful to Brad and Susan for joining our Fighting Illini family, and we look forward to many future years of their leadership, friendship, and engagement here at the University of Illinois. I am also appreciative of our assistant coaching staff and the many talented, dedicated members of our support staff who have worked tirelessly to advance our men's basketball program. We are happy to build stability within our staff and believe it will yield even greater coming success."