South Carolina officially approves raise, extension for SEC Coach of the Year Lamont Paris

What was first reported on Thursday is now official on Friday as South Carolina has approved a raise and extension for men’s basketball coach Lamont Paris, seemingly keeping the SEC Coach of the Year in Columbia for the foreseeable future.

The South Carolina Board of Trustees Governance Committee approved a new six-year contract for Paris on Friday morning that pays the second-year Gamecocks coach $3.75 million this year and escalates by $250,000 each year of the contract. He would make $5 million in the final year of the contract, 2029-30.

The agreement also features a sizable buyout. If Paris were to leave South Carolina within the six years, he’d owe South Carolina $12.5 million in Year 1, $10M in Year 2, $7.5M in Year 3, $4M in Year 4, $3M in Year 5 or $1M in Year 6.

“I’ve got a lot of pride in what we’ve done and what we’ve built,” Paris said on Thursday. “I’m incredibly excited about being able to be the coach and represent this university and this athletics department and more specifically this basketball team. It’s a real thrill for me to be able to coach these guys. I love where I am and they like me, too, so what else was there to do other than make a good deal?”

[MORE: What Lamont Paris’ extension means for South Carolina men’s basketball]

The new deal is made official as Paris and the Gamecocks are in Nashville attempting to make a run in the SEC Tournament after winning their opener against Arkansas on Thursday afternoon.

“I’m really fortunate and blessed that I get to do this as a profession,” Paris continued. “I get to hang around guys like the two guys who were out here (Ta’Lon Cooper and Collin Murray-Boyles) and have some sort of small impact on what their college experience is going to turn out to be. I take a lot of pride in that.”

While sources indicated to GamecockCentral last month that the university administration was already working on a new contract to reward their second-year head coach for one of the best seasons in school history, the new contract comes as other schools with openings have also taken notice of the Gamecocks’ surprise historic year. The most obvious of those being Ohio State, which was reportedly interested in the Findlay, Oh. native after firing Chris Holtmann last month.

In addition to keeping the Buckeyes from potentially pulling Paris out of Columbia, the new contract also serves to head off any other schools that could target Paris when there are new openings after conference tournament season is over.

“I’m even more blessed to be able to do that at this institution and around the people and in the state that I am,” Paris continued. “I’m really, really excited about moving forward and this was a no-brainer, at least on my part. I think we had to nudge Coach Tanner maybe a little bit. Nah, I’m just kidding. But it’s such a great match, just me, the fit, the community, the other coaches, and I’m very grateful. I’m grateful to our board, Ray Tanner, to our president, and hopefully we can continue to grow for a long time.”

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After going 11-21 and 4-14 in SEC play in Year 1, Paris and staff completely retooled the South Carolina roster for this season, adding transfers like Ta’Lon Cooper, B.J. Mack, and Myles Stute to go along with emerging superstar freshman Collin Murray-Boyles.

Cooper and Meechie Johnson, who transferred in the prior offseason, earned second-team All-SEC honors while Murray-Boyles landed on the freshman All-SEC team.

The Gamecocks, who will face Auburn at the SEC Tournament on Friday at 3:30, are amidst a 26-6 season and finished tied for second in the SEC with a conference record of 13-5.

South Carolina is considered a lock to make the NCAA Tournament when the field is announced on Sunday and is currently projected to be a five-seed in most bracketology.

“When Lamont was hired two years ago, I said he was the right coach to lead our men’s basketball program,”Tanner said “And he has proven that to be true.  He has the energy, passion, commitment, and he is a developer of talent – a true coach and teacher.  I am glad he will remain at Carolina as our head men’s basketball coach.”

Paris, who has been a part of nine NCAA Division I Tournaments and 17 20-win seasons as a college head and assistant coach, was named Gamecocks head coach on Thursday, March 24, 2022.

Paris came to Carolina after five seasons as the head coach at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, coaching the Mocs to an 87-72 overall record (.547), including a 65-29 mark the last three seasons.

In 2021-22, he led the Mocs to their first Southern Conference title and NCAA berth since 2016. Chattanooga finished the season with a 27-8 mark. He is one of 20 finalists for the Hugh Durham Award, given by CollegeInsider.com to the top Division I mid-major coach in college basketball.

In his 17 seasons as a collegiate assistant coach, teams associated with Paris were 497-217 (.696) with five conference titles and 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching two Final Fours.

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