The Associated Press

UK head coach Tubby Smith. (Gary Landers file photo) | ZOOM |

LEXINGTON - University of Kentucky men's basketball coach Tubby Smith signed an eight-year, $20.25 million contract extension Friday. UK officials hope the contract will keep Smith at the helm of the Wildcats through the 2010-11 season.

The $20.25 million is guaranteed if Smith stays at Kentucky for the length of the contract. If the Wildcats reach the Final Four during the next eight years, the contract will be extended by two years and Smith will receive an additional $5 million.

"We wanted to stay in the forefront and stay ahead in college basketball," Smith said. "We have the No. 1 program in college basketball, and we want to keep it that way."

Smith's base salary will be $200,000 a year. Most of the other compensation will come from athletics apparel and equipment endorsements and appearances on broadcast media programs. Smith will receive $1.55 million for such endorsements and appearances in the first year of the contract and that figure will gradually rise to $2.175 million for the 2010-11 season.

After four years, Smith would receive a retention bonus of $1.5 million, and after eight years, he would receive a similar bonus of $2.5 million.

The contract also includes incentives, including bonus pay for team academics, conference and NCAA tournament appearances and NCAA Final Four appearances.

The contract does not include a buyout clause, Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart said.

"There are basketball programs struggling with issues of integrity," Barnhart said. "The reputation of our program rests on the shoulders of a man who has great integrity. ... He is honest and truthful and says he wants to be here. I have a trust level with him. His word is good.

"We are confident he wants to be here and we think we've given him reasons to want to be here."

Asked specifically if he ever would leave Kentucky for an NBA job, Smith said the contract "says what it says. I look forward to being a part of this university for some time. I'm just thankful my name is on that contract.

"Money has never yet made a man rich. What makes you rich is the people you have the privilege of working with."

Smith, who will turn 52 on June 30, is 164-47 in six seasons at Kentucky. Adolph Rupp and Rick Pitino had higher winning percentages, but Smith reached 100 victories faster than any Kentucky coach in history.

Smith swept every annual national coaching honor last season after leading the Wildcats to a 32-4 record. Kentucky didn't lose a game in Southeastern Conference regular-season play or the league tournament, going an unprecedented 19-0. The Wildcats, who entered the NCAA tournament ranked No. 1, had a 26-game winning streak ended when they lost to Marquette in the Midwest Region final.

As the Wildcats gained momentum after a humbling loss at Louisville in late December, speculation swirled that Smith was considering leaving Kentucky and its demanding fans for the NBA or one of the high-profile college jobs that opened recently.

Smith never publicly said he was going anywhere. He told The Associated Press in an interview in late March that he planned on coaching Kentucky next season and added there wasn't a better job out there.

Smith's previous contract paid him $1.5 million a year and ran through the 2006-07 season. Barnhart made a special trip to the Final Four in New Orleans earlier this month to meet with Smith and present him with a new deal. The two met several times since then to work out details of the contract extension.

"The class he represents himself with is unparalled in our business," Barnhart said. "He is a first-class individual who deserves to be treated first class. I'm thrilled to have him here for a long period of time."

The UK Athletic Association board of directors, who met Friday, also approved a hike in the salary pool for Smith's assistant coaches. The trio of David Hobbs, Scott Rigot and Reggie Hanson made a combined $242,000 this year, but will be paid a combined $320,000 next year.

Before he took the Kentucky coaching job, Smith served as the head coach at the University of Tulsa for four seasons and at the University of Georgia for two seasons. His career record is 288-109, a .725 winning percentage.

Tale of the Tubby

Orlando "Tubby" Smith

Age: 51

Hometown: Scotland, Md.

Education: High Point, 1973 (Bachelor of Science in health and physical education)

Hired at UK: May 12, 1997

Head coaching career

TULSA

1991-92	17-13
1992-93	15-14
1993-94	23-8
1994-95	24-8

GEORGIA

1995-96	21-10
1996-97	24-9

KENTUCKY

1997-98	35-4*
1998-99	28-9
1999-2000	23-10
2000-01	24-10
2001-02	22-10
2002-03	32-4
Totals	288-109 (.725)

*Won NCAA championship.

NCAA Tournament record: 23-9

SEC Tournament record: 16-4