Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd agrees to extension amid status as potential candidate for UNC job
INDIANAPOLIS — Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said Friday he’s remaining with the Wildcats after being mentioned as a potential candidate to fill the coaching vacancy at blueblood program North Carolina . “I’m happy to announce I’m staying at Arizona,” Lloyd said during his pre-practice news conference at the Final Four. “We’ve been able to get some things done the past couple days.
” The school also announced it had reached an extension with Lloyd through the 2030-31 season, though it didn’t release financial terms. Lloyd had previously been under contract through the 2029-30 season worth an average of nearly $5. 5 million in base and supplemental pay for the coming seasons, along with a buyout that dropped from $11 million to $9 million on Wednesday.
Lloyd, 51, had been considered a top potential target for the Tar Heels, who fired Hubert Davis on March 24 after five seasons. He had deflected questions about the UNC opening as the Wildcats (36-2) kept advancing in the NCAA Tournament to their first Final Four since 2001 , including as recently as Thursday in Indianapolis. Lloyd praised UNC as “a first-class organization” and said he appreciated “the way they’ve handled this.
” “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. “I didn’t want to make this entire Final Four about that because I’m just a small part of something much bigger. But on that same note, I’d also like to let you know that North Carolina is an amazing place.
I mean, it’s a 1 of 1. It’s an honor to even be considered for that job. ” Lloyd’s comments came a day before the Wildcats (36-2) were set to face Michigan in Saturday night’s national semifinals in a matchup of the two 1-seeds in Indianapolis.