Arizona extends Tommy Lloyd through 2029 season, increases pay

Arizona basketball coach Tommy Lloyd has agreed to a five-year extension that will keep him in Tucson until 2029, the school announced Monday. He is set to be paid $5.25 million beginning next season and will see his annual salary increase to $6 million in year five.

Lloyd is in his third season leading the Wildcats, having compiled an 81-16 record to this point. His 61 wins in his first two years set an NCAA record, and he guided Arizona to back-to-back Pac-12 Tournament titles as well as a Sweet Sixteen appearance in his first season.

“Tommy has proven to be a championship coach, an exceptional leader and recruiter, and has reinvigorated Wildcat pride by transforming the University of Arizona men’s basketball program back into one of the top programs in the nation,” University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins said. “We are thrilled that he will remain a Wildcat for years to come. “Thanks to the generosity of many in our community who love and support this university and are invested in its future, donor funds have been secured to cover the full cost increase of the extension.”

Lloyd was named the National Coach of the Year by the Associated Press in the 2021-22 season after leading the Wildcats to a 33-4 record. This season, Arizona reached No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time in more than a decade and is currently 20-5.

Prior to taking over at Arizona, Tommy Lloyd was a longtime assistant at Gonzaga under Mark Few. He was a member of the staff from 2000-21, helping the Bulldogs to a pair of Final Four appearances.

It has also been a record-setting time in the classroom for the Wildcats, having twice set a new program record for semester GPA. Most recently, the team posted a GPA of 3.159 in the Fall 2023 semester, the best team GPA in a semester in program history, overtaking the previous record of 3.14 in the Spring 2022 semester.

Lloyd’s coaching excellence at Arizona has also elevated his place at the highest international levels of basketball. He was recently named the head coach of the USA Basketball U18 National Team for the 2024 FIBA U18 Men’s AmeriCup.

“I am humbled and grateful to finalize a long-term extension here at the University of Arizona. I am energized by the support of our fans, our players, our alumni, President Robbins, the Board of Regents and our donors,” Lloyd said. “All of us are aligned on maintaining a highly competitive and nationally recognized basketball program that provides a great experience for the student athletes. We will continue to honor the Wildcat basketball heritage and give everything we have to make people proud to say ‘Bear Down!'”