When you win, it seems like nothing can stop the good times from coming. That’s what happened to Florida men’s basketball head coach Todd Golden; a month after hoisting the National Championship trophy, the Phoenix-born coach inked a new contract that will keep him in Gainesville until 2031.
Analyst Kevin Sweeney reported that UF will pay Golden $40.5 million over the next six seasons, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the country.
From Morningside Heights to Championship Heights
Golden’s path to his $40.5 millioon contract started as an assistant at Columbia University for two seasons, starting as a director of basketball operations, and ending as an assistant coach.
Todd Golden’s contract extension goes through 2031 and will pay him $40.5 million over the next six years, per release.
That’s an AAV of $6.75 million annually and puts him in the top five highest-paid coaches nationally, per USA Today’s tracker.
— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) May 6, 2025
Afterwards, he took an assistant position as a part of head coach Bruce Pearl’s staff at fellow SEC school Auburn. After working as a sales representative, Golden knew that coaching was what he wanted to do, and he wanted to do it at top programs.
“It means the world,” Golden said in an article from “Auburn Undercover” by Phillip Marshall. “It’s been a goal of mine since I got into coaching to coach at the highest level. You’re not going to find a higher level in college coaching than the SEC. It worked out really well for me. I’m blessed to have the opportunity.”
That opportunity lead to a head coaching job at the University of San Francisco, and in 2022 he brought the Dons to their first national tournament appearance since 1998. Florida saw his potential and hired him after their old coach, Mike White, left for Georgia. This started a much-needed shift in results that the Gators desperately needed.
How Todd Golden Changed Florida
Billy Donovan led the Gators two two national championships and a third Final Four, but after he departed for the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, Florida hired White. While the Gators made either the NCAA tournament or the NIT tournament every non-COVID year under White, they couldn’t get back to the Final Four.
That’s why when he left for Georgia, Florida’s new coach had huge goals to meet. How was Golden going to bring the Gators back to the Donovan-era highs?
It took a few seasons, but Golden attacked the portal in 2024, picking up four-star Alijah Martin from FAU. He also won over four-stars Reuben Chinyelu from Washington State, and Sam Alexis from Chattanooga.
The three transfers along with established talents like Walter Clayton Jr. helped Florida increase their win total by 12 wins from 2024 to 2025. Clayton won most outstanding player in the Final Four, and the Gators reached the mountain top for the first time since 2008.
KEEP READING: 2025 Men’s College Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker
Golden knew that his job rebuilding Florida was not going to be easy, but he was ready from the outset. His readiness resulted in a championship for the program, and a huge raise for himself.
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