Texas Tech deal makes Beard among highest-paid

Reuters

Texas Tech coach Chris Beard will be paid like one of the best coaches in college basketball in a new six-year contract.

Beard's annual salary of $4.575 million is third in men's college hoops behind only Kentucky's John Calipari and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski. The deal will be official this week and runs through the 2024-25 season.

"Together we have accomplished some great things in the past three years," Beard said in a statement Monday. "But we are not satisfied and will continue working tirelessly to build one of the best college basketball programs in the nation."

Beard guided Texas Tech to the Final Four for the first time in program history. The Red Raiders defeated Michigan State in the national semifinal before losing in the national title game to Virginia in overtime.

Beard served as an assistant at Texas Tech under coaches Bobby Knight and Pat Knight and returned to Lubbock to become head coach three years ago.

--Field Level Media