Where Wisconsin coach Greg Gard’s ranks among highest-paid coaches in college basketball
Wisconsin's 2024-25 basketball season came to an all-too-familiar end on Saturday, as the team fell to No. 6-seed BYU in the NCAA Tournament round of 32.
The second-round exit means yet another season without a Sweet 16 appearance. Wisconsin has now played eight seasons since its last second-weekend trip, one that infamously ended in a Florida overtime buzzer-beater.
There are some that spin those March struggles into questions for head coach Greg Gard. While all should agree that his recent resume is severely lacking in NCAA Tournament wins, that outlook discounts the program's top-end regular-season success and, especially after 2024-25, its position as one of the best and most consistent in the Big Ten.
The Badgers finished the 2024-25 regular season 23-8 and 13-7 in Big Ten play. Looking back, they were just a few late-game scenarios, specifically against Michigan, UCLA and Michigan State, away from contending for the conference crown. That success was partially due to the emergence of star wing John Tonje. Past that, it was also due to Gard's efforts in revolutionizing the program's offensive approach.
Leading a team picked to finish 12th in the conference after it lost its top two players to the transfer portal, Gard's coaching job in 2024-25 should be commended. The season displayed the true signs of program health: top-end development from underclassmen (John Blackwell, Nolan Winter), a key portal acquisition or two (John Tonje), a strong corps of program veterans (Max Klesmit, Steven Crowl) and several emerging walk-ons (Jack Janicki, Carter GIlmore).
There is an argument, while acknowledging his lack of recent NCAA Tournament success, that Gard has become underrated in the broader coaching landscape. Or, at the very least, far too low on the list of the sport's highest-paid coaches.
Specifically, here is where Gard lands on that list. All salary figures are available via USA TODAY's updated college basketball coach salary database.
(Note: This list is from the 2024-25 season and does not include recent coaching movement or new contracts)
Where Wisconsin's Greg Gard ranks among college basketball's highest-paid head coaches
- Bill Self (Kansas)
- Annual Salary: $8,803,800
- Buyout: $23,100,000
- John Calipari (Arkansas)
- Annual Salary: $8,000,000
- Buyout: $21,437,500
- Dan Hurley (UConn)
- Annual Salary: $7,775,000
- Buyout: $42,789,583
- Tom Izzo (Michigan State)
- Annual Salary: $6,196,879
- Buyout: $7,000,000
- Mick Cronin (UCLA)
- Annual Salary: $6,100,000
- Buyout: $10,000,000
- Bruce Pearl (Auburn)
- Annual Salary: $5,958,852
- Buyout: $11,692,466
- Rick Barnes (Tennessee)
- Annual Salary: $5,800,000
- Buyout: $12,375,000
- Scott Drew (Baylor)
- Annual Salary: $5,410,061
- Buyout: N/A
- Tommy Lloyd (Arizona)
- Annual Salary: $5,250,000
- Buyout: $21,150,000
- Nate Oats (Alabama)
- Annual Salary: $5,018,045
- Buyout: $32,420,417
- Mark Pope (Kentucky)
- Annual Salary: $5,000,000
- Buyout: $16,875,000
- Chris Beard (Ole Miss)
- Annual Salary: $5,000,000
- Buyout: $19,875,000
- Matt Painter (Purdue)
- Annual Salary: $4,850,000
- Buyout: $20,675,000
- Brad Underwood (Illinois)
- Annual Salary: $4,800,000
- Buyout: $25,900,000
- Fred Hoiberg (Nebraska)
- Annual Salary: $4,750,000
- Buyout: $18,500,000
- Kelvin Sampson (Houston)
- Annual Salary: $4,604,000
- Buyout: $9,800,000
- Buzz Williams (Texas A&M)
- Annual Salary: $4,600,000
- Buyout: $14,400,000
- Chris Jans (Mississippi State)
- Annual Salary: $4,200,000
- Buyout: $10,680,000
- Mike Woodson (Indiana)
- Annual Salary: $4,200,000
- Buyout: N/A
- Jamie Dixon (TCU)
- Annual Salary: $4,106,441
- Buyout: N/A
- Dennis Gates (Missouri)
- Annual Salary: $4,100,000
- Buyout: $16,625,000
- Kevin Willard (Maryland)
- Annual Salary: $4,100,000
- Buyout: $15,660,000
- Dana Altman (Oregon)
- Annual Salary: $4,007,000
- Buyout: $12,033,561
- Grant McCasland (Texas Tech)
- Annual Salary: $3,900,000
- Buyout: $14,689,394
- Greg Gard (Wisconsin)
- Annual Salary: $3,875,375
- Buyout: $12,000,000
In summary, it's reasonable to argue that Gard, one of the best coaches in the Big Ten, is underpaid compared to his contemporaries.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball coach Greg Gard salary buyout updated ranking
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