The NBA has one of the highest revenues of any sports league in the world. And in comparison to those other leagues, the NBA has one of the fewest numbers of players and coaching staffs. This means that NBA players have the highest average salary of any sport. That has now carried over to the coaching staff as well. Steve Kerr, the head coach of the Golden State Warriors signed a contract extension yesterday that has made him the highest-paid NBA coach.
Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra, and Kerr are the longest-tenured head coaches in the league. Add to that each of them has led their teams to several NBA Finals. This level of success demands an equally proportionate salary. Their tenure and success combined have given them great leverage in NBA coach salary negotiations. Unlike other title-winning head coaches who have switched jobs, undermining their ability to demand a massive salary.
With the demand for great coaches, NBA teams would do their best to hold on to those who have proved that they are the best. This is why, the record for the highest NBA coach salary has been continuously reset in the 2023-24 season.
Steve Kerr’s contract makes him highest paid NBA coach
The Warriors decided to give Kerr a contract extension with his current contract expiring after this season. His extension is a 2-year deal worth $35 million. The average annual salary of $17.5 million makes Kerr the highest-paid NBA coach in history. 4 championships in 9 seasons and forcing a league to change the way it plays its game were reasons enough for Kerr to get the record-breaking contract.
He broke Miami Heat head coach Spoelstra’s recent extension which is for 8 years and $120 million. Spoelstra held the record with his $15 million annual salary. Such figures for an NBA coach’s salary were unheard of until other coaches reset the market before the start of this season.
The list of highest-paid NBA coaches:
- Steve Kerr – $17,050,000
- Gregg Popovich – $16,000,000 (includes salary as President of Basketball Operations)
- Erik Spoelstra – $15,000,000
- Monty Williams – $13,008,000
How the NBA coach salary market was reset this season
Up until last year, Popovich, the legendary head coach of the San Antonio Spurs led the league with a $13 million salary. Then Monty Williams signed on to become the new head coach of the Detroit Pistons. He signed a record-breaking six-year, $78.5 million contract. That upped the record for annual average coaching salaries to $13.08.
Popovich himself broke that record by signing a five-year, $80 million extension that brought his annual average to $16 million. This might be more than Spoelstra’s but Popovich’s duties as President of Basketball operations means the head coaching salary is lesser than Spoelstra’s.
All in all, it seems along with the players, the coaches are also getting their due from their teams. After all, they are the ones who steer their group of players to victory. With the NBA’s growing revenue, these numbers will tumble as the years go by.
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