Highest-Paid Coach in NCAA Tournament Knocked Out on Day One.
March Madness has barely begun, but we’ve already witnessed a whirlwind of upsets on the first full day of action. Two 12-seeds pulled off unexpected victories as McNeese State easily handled Clemson, while Colorado State stunned Memphis. Drake, known for their loyal fanbase, also emerged victorious, dominating Missouri. These surprises set the tone for a day full of excitement, but there was one particularly notable upset in Providence, Rhode Island.
In a battle of legendary coaches, John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks defeated Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks 79-72. While a 10-seed beating a 7-seed is not a massive upset, Arkansas did come into the game as 4.5-point underdogs. The Razorbacks sealed their win with a dominant 15-5 run to close the game and take home the victory. However, this surprising result meant that Self, the highest-paid coach in the tournament, was eliminated on Day 1.
LATEST: How George Foreman Achieved A Quarter-Billion Dollar Payday With an Unlikely Invention.
Self, who signed a lucrative lifetime rolling deal with Kansas in November 2023, is currently the highest-paid coach in the tournament. His contract, worth a staggering $53 million over the first five years, includes a base salary of $8.8 million this season. Despite being eliminated in the first round, Self’s legacy remains firmly intact with two championships during his tenure at Kansas. This loss marks the first time since 2006 that the Jayhawks have been knocked out in the first round, a shocking result for a team with such a rich history.
It’s worth noting that Kansas’ early exit nearly happened last year as well. The Jayhawks, a 4-seed, barely managed to scrape by Samford in a nail-biting contest, aided in part by what many believed to be a controversial foul call. Self’s compensation only grew this season, with his total earnings exceeding $13 million, including performance bonuses and incentives tied to his contract.
With Self out of the tournament, the mantle of the highest-paid coach remaining in the field now falls to John Calipari. Calipari, who signed a five-year deal with Arkansas in 2024 after his long and successful stint with Kentucky, took home $8 million this year, which includes a $7 million salary and a $1 million signing bonus. His next challenge will come in the second round against Rick Pitino’s St. John’s Red Storm. Calipari is widely respected for his ability to recruit top-tier talent, and with Arkansas still in the hunt, the focus shifts to his ability to lead his team deep into March Madness.
On the other hand, Pitino’s salary is reportedly $3.3 million, a significant difference in earnings, but still substantial considering the long track record of success Pitino has had in NCAA coaching.
As we move forward in the tournament, it’s clear that March Madness always brings unpredictability, with coaches, teams, and players facing immense pressure from start to finish. In the end, only one team can hoist the championship trophy, but as we've seen, surprises happen in the blink of an eye.
While we won’t see Bill Self or Kansas going further in the tournament, their contributions to the game, and his high-profile contract, remain a huge part of the narrative. The tournament’s unpredictability only adds to its excitement, and while one coach may go down early, the battle continues for others still in the fray. March Madness has a way of producing unforgettable moments, and this is just the beginning. Let's see how far the remaining highest-paid coaches will take their teams in this exhilarating tournament.
