What Zac Selmon said about Chris Jans' extension, investment in Mississippi State basketball
Mississippi State had been working on finalizing a contract extension for men’s basketball coach Chris Jans right before the SEC tournament in March, according to athletics director Zac Selmon.
While the deal – which extends through the 2027-28 season and boosted Jans' salary from $3.2 million to $4.2 million – wasn’t announced until Monday, Selmon believes there’s a strong commitment from the two parties.
"We're so excited to get it done, knowing that both sides are excited,” Selmon said. “Both sides know it's going to be a long-term partnership."
Mississippi State is coming off its second NCAA Tournament appearance in as many seasons under Jans. The Bulldogs lost in the First Four last in 2023 before getting eliminated in the first round in 2024 as a No. 8 seed against No. 9 seed Michigan State.
Jans is the first coach to lead MSU to back-to-back appearances in March Madness since Rick Stansbury did so in 2008 and 2009.
Based on last season’s salaries, the raise would put Jans in the top half of the highest-paid coaches in the SEC.
"We want to be competitive in everything we do,” Selmon said. “Part of that is seeing where the market is and knowing that coach Jans is that level of coach.”
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Jans’ extension comes amid an intriguing offseason in the SEC. Former Arkansas coach Eric Musselman left the Razorbacks for Southern Cal. That move led to decorated coach John Calipari leaving Kentucky for Arkansas – though it was reported Jans was set to interview with the Razorbacks.
Instead, Mississippi State returns Jans for his third season after an offseason in which he has landed notable transfer portal prospects such as former Penn State guard Kanye Clary and Florida guard Riley Kugel.
“Really excited about the future of Mississippi State basketball,” Selmon said. “Clearly, coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament seasons there’s so much momentum, but to build a program, it takes consistency and culture. Coach Jans has done that time and time again. He’s put together a fantastic staff. Clearly, he’s done a lot of good work on the recruiting trail.”
Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @skrajisnik3.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State basketball: Zac Selmon on Chris Jans' contract, salary
