Todd Golden, UF 'Close' to Long-Term Deal

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Gators men’s basketball head coach Todd Golden on Saturday announced that he and the school are close to putting pen to paper on a new deal to keep him in Gainesville for a while. 

“I feel like we're very close to putting something together that will keep the Goldens in Gainesville for quite a while,” he said after his program was celebrated during the halftime of the football team’s spring game. “I think in the next week or two, we'll get to the finish line on that.” 

Upon completion, this would be the second-straight year that Florida and Golden have come to terms on a new deal. 

Just over a year ago, the university gave him a two-year extension that kept him in town until the 2029-30 season. Additionally, it also came with a bump in his salary that gives him $4.1 million a year

Florida handing their up-and-coming star head coach a new contract isn’t all that surprising. Off the back of a national championship — their first since 2007 — and an SEC Tournament title — their first since 2014 — Golden’s name has risen up the ranks in the head coaching world. 

His success came after years of average basketball in Gainesville with only one season where the Gators made it past the Elite Eight from 2016-2022 under Mike White, making the decision to extend him a no-brainer.

Additionally, Golden explained he and his family have come to love living in Gainesville, which gave Golden the key to the city during Saturday’s celebration.

“My family and I love being here,” Golden stated. “Obviously it was a big change for us coming from the West Coast, not knowing a lot of people here. But in three short years, we've been able to meet a lot of great people and get comfortable. Florida's a place that we can win national championships, as we just proved." 

It’s going to be a busy offseason for Golden, though. 

He’ll have to work on replacing all three of his starting guards with Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard all departing, and he’ll have to fend off NBA suitors for forwards Alex Condon and potentially Thomas Haugh. 

Luckily for him, his program was given a helping hand by UF mega booster Gary Condron, who reportedly donated $1 million to the university’s NIL partner, Florida Victorious, for the men’s basketball program after the collective already raised at least $500,000 in a donation-match campaign.

More From Gators Illustrated