Amid UNC talk, Lloyd agrees to new deal at Zona

INDIANAPOLIS -- Coach Tommy Lloyd has agreed to a new deal with Arizona, he announced Friday.

"I'm staying at Arizona," he said at a Friday news conference.

After days of ambiguous statements about his future when being asked about the North Carolina job opening, Lloyd agreed to a new five-year deal with the school.

"Arizona basketball, you guys know what it means to me, and when I say it's a special place, that always comes from the bottom of my heart," Lloyd said.

In a reference to rumored phone calls from Michael Jordan to Lloyd about the Carolina job -- which Lloyd said never happened -- the 51-year-old expressed his pride in staying in Tucson.

"I made a decision that my Michael Jordan is Steve Kerr, and I'm proud to be an Arizona Wildcat," he said.

Per ESPN sources, Arizona's new deal with Lloyd will make him one of the five highest-paid coaches in college basketball, as he'll start in 2026-27 at nearly $7.2 million and will average $7.5 million over the life of the deal.

The deal also includes significant bonuses and additional commitment to staff salary pool. The buyout is expected to remain significant both ways, as the deal is fully guaranteed, and the buyout to leave for another job, which was $9 million under the old deal, is expected to remain high.

"To me it's a holistic approach," Lloyd said. "There's not one thing anymore. Arizona basketball needs to become a locomotive where everything surrounding it is pushing it forward."

Lloyd expressed his appreciation of athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois and president Suresh Garimella on their work agreeing to the deal and projecting the future for Arizona basketball.

"Tommy Lloyd is the best coach in college basketball, and we have a strong conviction in the future of Arizona Basketball under his leadership," Reed-Francois said in a statement. "Our program's success this season -- winning championships, competing on the sport's biggest stage and excelling academically -- is a testament to the standard that he and his staff have established. He has recruited and developed student-athletes of character who make a positive impact on our team, our campus and our community. Tommy has strengthened our foundation while honoring the tradition that makes Arizona Basketball one of the premier programs in the country, and we are thrilled that he will continue to lead this program at the highest level for years to come."

"Coach Lloyd has led our men's basketball program with clarity of purpose and a commitment to excellence," Garimella said in statement. "This past season is among the finest in Arizona Athletics history, reflecting the culture he has built and the consistency of the program. He has reestablished Arizona Basketball as one of the nation's best programs and leads a team that is unified and performing at the highest levels on the court and in the classroom. I am very pleased that we have come to an agreement extending his contract and his leadership. We look forward to continued success."

Arizona's players were excited for their head coach.

"I know Coach Lloyd was going to make the best decision for himself and his career," senior guard Jaden Bradley said. "Excited that he signed back with Arizona. I know the fan base is excited as well, but I know he's definitely focused on what's going on here and just happy for him and his extension."

"Super happy for Coach," freshman forward Koa Peat said. "Tucson loves him. He loves Tucson. ... He's one of the best coaches in the country and he depends on Arizona. That's super special for us, for sure."

North Carolina's pursuit of Lloyd had lingered as a storyline over the Final Four, with Lloyd declining to outrightly dismiss the Tar Heels' interest on multiple occasions.

"I'm a simple guy. I'm kind of just one thing at a time. I'm not a multitasker," Lloyd said Thursday at his pregame news conference when he was asked about the vacancy. "You can ask my wife. So, I'm 100% locked in on Arizona basketball right now, and I'm excited to see what this team can do. I have a real strong belief in this team and this team deserves my full attention, so that's what I'm giving."

After Arizona's win over Purdue last weekend, as part of a longer answer about the significance of the Wildcats advancing to the Final Four, Lloyd said, "Arizona is going to have another good coach after me. I promise you."

When asked about those statements Tuesday, Lloyd reiterated his point.

"It's absolutely true," he said. "There's going to be another coach. This is a great program. I didn't say when.

"People are going to speculate all they want. Guys, this team has my full focus. Nothing, nothing -- I promise you, nothing -- is knocking me off that path."

Since arriving at Arizona in 2021, Lloyd has guided the Wildcats to three regular-season conference championships, two in the Pac-12 and this year's Big 12 title. They've earned a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in four of their five NCAA tournament appearances, advancing to the Sweet 16 or further four times.

Arizona swept both the Big 12 regular-season and conference tournament championships this season, and advanced to the program's first Final Four since 2001.

Lloyd is 148-35 in five seasons with Arizona. His 148 wins are the most in NCAA history for a head coach in his first five seasons.

Before taking over at Arizona, Lloyd had been at Gonzaga since 2000, serving as an assistant coach under Mark Few for 20 seasons. The Bulldogs reached the NCAA tournament in every season that Lloyd was in the program, where he established himself as the best international recruiter and one of the premier assistant coaches in college basketball.

Lloyd and top-seeded Arizona will take on Michigan in Saturday's Final Four.

ESPN's Myron Medcalf contributed to this report.