VCU, Smart discussing restructured contract

Staff Reports

VCU and men’s basketball head coach Shaka Smart are working toward completing a restructured contract by the end of the week, according to a report by SI.com.

If the report proves to be correct, it will be the third straight year Smart has turned down offers from BCS schools to stay at VCU under a re-negotiated deal.

This season, UCLA and the University of Minnesota have already contacted Smart about head coaching positions after the firings of Ben Howland and Tubby Smith.

Last year, Smart turned down a multi-million dollar offer from the University of Illinois before signing a deal with VCU worth approximately $1.3 million per year. In 2011, he turned down a similarly lucrative offer from North Carolina State before re-signing with the Rams.

Smart’s current negotiations with VCU are more centered on various factors that will help the program move forward as opposed to the head coach’s compensation, according to the SI.com report.

This season, Smart led VCU to its third straight year with an NCAA Tournament win. The Rams defeated Akron 88-42 in the second round of the tournament on March 21 before losing in the third round to Michigan 78-53 on March 23.

Smart’s seven NCAA Tournament wins in four seasons with VCU are the most by any head coach in the school’s history.

Under Smart, the Rams are one of eight teams in the country that have won at least one NCAA Tournament game in each of the last three seasons.

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