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Brad Brownell contract extension: What Clemson basketball coach's new salary is
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- Brad Brownell contract extension: What Clemson basketball coach's new salary is
CLEMSON — Clemson basketball coach Brad Brownell received a two-year contract extension April 25.
Clemson's Board of Trustees compensation committee approved the raise, making Brownell's total contract length six years for $27.5 million. The new deal will pay him $4 million in 2025-26, $4.25 million in 2026-27, $4.5 million in 2027-28, $4.75 million in 2028-29, $5 million in 2029-30 and $5 million in 2030-31.
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"I remain honored and grateful to have led this program for 15 years and for the opportunity to continue to coach and develop young people in both basketball and life at Clemson," Brownell said in a school release. "I'm appreciative of the support from Graham Neff, President Jim Clements and our administration to continue to build upon our successes in basketball – on and off the court. I'm proud of the continuity of my staff and the critical role they play in winning, player development and recruiting."
Brownell's extension comes after he led Clemson to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances for the first time in his tenure and being linked to the Indiana coaching job . The Tigers (27-7) set a program record for total and conference wins to tie for second in the ACC standings and help Brownell finish third in the conference's coach of the year voting.
Brownell, who is the winningest basketball coach in school history with a 292-196 record, received a three-year contract extension in July 2024 to make his total contract length five years for $20 million through 2029 after leading Clemson to its first Elite Eight in 44 years. He was set to make $3.75 million in 2025-26.
Brownell, 56, earned $3.5 million last season, ranking fourth in ACC coach pay and 37th nationally according to the USA TODAY Sports database , and made $300,000 in on-court bonuses. He will make $4 million next season, which would rank in the top 25 nationally.
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Brownell, the longest-tenured ACC coach, will enter his 16th season with the Tigers and aims to make the NCAA tournament for the third straight time since 2007-08 through 2009-10. In his tenure, the Tigers have had only one losing season and have made the NCAA tournament five times, including four times in the last eight years.
After losing multiple contributors from last season's team, including guard Chase Hunter, center Viktor Lakhin and forward Chauncey Wiggins, Brownell has revamped the 2025-26 roster by adding six transfer portal players and signing four high school recruits .
PORTAL MOVEMENT: Why Clemson basketball's Ian Schieffelin, Jaeden Zackery have entered the transfer portal
Brad Brownell contract bonuses
Here's how Brownell can land incentives each year in his new deal:
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Conference regular-season performance
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No. 1 seed in ACC tournament: $300,000
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No. 2 seed in ACC tournament: $250,000
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No. 3 seed in ACC tournament: $200,000
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No. 4 seed in ACC tournament: $150,000
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Conference tournament performance
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ACC tournament champion: $200,000
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NCAA tournament performance
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NCAA tournament appearance: $100,000 and
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Each win in NCAA tournament First Four/first/second rounds: $50,000 and
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Each win in NCAA tournament regional semifinal/regional final: $75,000 and
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Win in NCAA tournament national semifinal: $100,000 and
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NCAA tournament champion: $300,000
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NIT performance
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NIT champion: $15,000
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Coaching awards
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AP or USBWA ACC coach of the year: $25,000 and
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AP or USBWA national coach of the year: $50,000
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Academic achievement
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Single-year APR ≥ 950: $25,000
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Brad Brownell contract buyout
If Brownell were to terminate his Clemson contract early to accept another job, he would have to pay the school 25% of remaining base salary ($350,000), supplemental compensation and deferred compensation ($225,000) plus $6,250 per month remaining (prorated for any partial month) within 90 days.
Clemson would owe Brownell 50% of his remaining base salary, supplemental compensation and deferred compensation plus $12,500 per full month remaining (prorated for any partial month) if he's dismissed.
Brownell also has the option to step down as coach to become "special assistant/advisor to the athletic director" for the remainder of the contract for "a period not to exceed four years" at an annual salary of $250,000. He would have to elect to do this by April 15 of each year, and the role entails "assisting Clemson (including IPTAY) with fundraising and revenue generating opportunities, while also assisting as an advisor to the Director of Athletics."
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Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson coach Brad Brownell contract extended 2 years, receives raise
