UCLA basketball has been happy with their progress as a program, and it's because of the leadership of head coach Mick Cronin. That led the program to give him a new five-year contract worth $4.5 million annually through the 2029-30 season, according to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times.
The contract was quietly signed in May 2025, but it was not publicly announced because of UCLA’s financial concerns. After UCLA's loss against Gonzaga, Cronin spoke about being a part of the program and the opportunity to coach them for years to come.
“I’m honored to be the coach at UCLA,” Cronin said. “For me, I have no inklings of being anywhere else. I’ve had many offers to do so. I’m where I want to be so I’ll always say the same thing — it was surreal when I got the job and I’m just working hard to do everything we can to upgrade our program to a point to where we can try to win the title for our fans, and that’s all I really worry about. I’m at that point in my career, so if they want to extend me, I take it because I’m not looking to go anywhere.”
Cronin has a 145-67 record in seven seasons with UCLA, as he's also won the Pac-12 title in 2023 following a victory against Arizona.
The contract includes a buyout provision that allows him to be paid $22.5 million if he’s terminated without cause through March 31, 2026. The amount drops to $18 million if he’s terminated without cause through March 31, 2027, $13.5 million through March 31, 2028, $9 million through March 31, 2029, and $4.5 million through March 31, 2030.
UCLA is currently 7-3 and 2-0 in the conference. This could be a good season for the program, but they will have to take care of business throughout the year if they want to surprise some people. Cronin knows the task at hand, and he will be prepared to lead the group as far as they can go.
