Five most overpaid men's college basketball coaches: Calipari, Woodson make list

Editor's note: Louisville coach Kenny Payne was fired after this story was published. Read about that development here.

Whether you believe Kentucky coach John Calipari is overpaid could depend on the year, the month, even the week.

Calipari earned his mega-millions salary when the Wildcats were among the most dominant teams in Division I, capturing one national championship in 2012 and playing for others in 2011, 2014 and 2015. But Kentucky hasn't been back to the Final Four since even as Calipari's annual salary continues to rise ― now at $8.5 million in total compensation for 2023-24, second-most in the country.

USA TODAY Sports compiled pay information from each school in the Power Five conferences and from each school outside those conferences whose team has appeared in at least three of the past five NCAA tournaments.

While Kentucky has had moments this season, including a late run that has lifted the Wildcats toward the top of the SEC, the results and payoff given the school's mammoth investment into Calipari and the program makes him yet again one of the most overpaid coaches in the country.

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Mike Woodson, Indiana

Woodson will be back for another year at Indiana, perhaps to the delight of the rest of the Big Ten. Woodson is making $4.2 million in total compensation this season, third among Big Ten coaches, while overseeing a team that has taken a very noticeable step back following back-to-back tournament bids. After winning 23 games and finishing tied for second in the conference last season, the Hoosiers needed a four-game winning streak to end the regular season at 18-13 and 10-10 in league play. IU will need to make a run deep into the Big Ten tournament to have a chance at the 68-team field.

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John Calipari, Kentucky

Wins against Alabama and Tennessee during the home stretch have brightened the outlook on Kentucky's season and made the Wildcats a potentially formidable foe in postseason play. Any sort of push into March would be the program's first since reaching the Elite Eight in 2019; the Wildcats missed the tournament in 2021, were bumped in the first round in 2022 and in the second round last year. This five-year stretch without any postseason success comes as Calipari remains among the very highest paid coaches in the sport. The only Division I coach making more than Calipari in 2023-24 is Kansas coach Bill Self, who is earning $9.6 million.

Kenny Payne, Louisville

The Payne era at Louisville is mercifully limping to a close in his second season. The former Kentucky and NBA assistant went 4-28 in his first year, 2-18 in the ACC, and the Cardinals closed this year on a seven-game losing streak to go 8-23 overall and 3-17 in conference play. That's an improvement, technically, but Payne's tenure will go down as one of the worst in program and ACC history. He's set to make $3.5 million this season with a buyout that drops to $6 million April 1.

Kevin Willard, Maryland

The early returns through two years of the Willard era with the Terrapins haven't been good. After going 22-13 with a second-round tournament exit last March, Maryland went 15-16 this season for the program's first losing finish under a non-interim coach since 1992-93. Willard had two losing records in his first three years at Seton Hall but would coach the Pirates to five tournament appearances, so a bumpy start in the Big Ten doesn't necessarily spell doom for the Terrapins. But at $4 million in compensation, the program should be getting more.

Bobby Hurley, Arizona State

Arizona State won four in a row to open this season's Pac-12 schedule but finished the regular season tied with Stanford and USC near the bottom of the conference. That's been part of the story of Hurley's broader tenure, which began with some major hype in 2015 but has been unable to maintain brief periods of success. That includes back-to-back tournament bids in 2018 and 2019 along with what would have been a likely appearance in the canceled 2020 tournament. But that's been followed by three losing seasons in four years, putting Hurley on the hot seat after nine seasons with the program. He's earning $3.1 million in 2023-24.

Follow colleges reporter Paul Myerberg on social media @PaulMyerberg