Shaka Smart follows Brad Stevens lead, stays at VCU

The joke had been made thousands upon thousands of times -- Shaka Smart earned himself some money with VCU's improbable run to the Final Four.

On Monday afternoon, he did. Just not quite the way many of us expected.

Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com broke the news -- tweeting during a radio interview, no less -- that not only had Shaka Smart turned down NC State's advances, he was re-signing with VCU. And, yes, he got the significant pay bump that he was due, seeing his salary more than triple as he inked an eight-year deal worth $1.2 million per.


The decision by Smart to stay at VCU may confuse some. There were reports that NC State was offering him as much as $2 million a year, and if Smart wanted more than that, he probably just need to give them a number. The same thing happened with Brad Stevens last season, when he opted to remain at Butler by signing a 12 year contract extension following the first of two Final Four runs.

Some people are going to ask why.

Why would a coach turn down an offer that could double his salary? Neither Smart nor Stevens will be hurting financially, but turning down an extra seven figures is significant regardless of you pay grade.

The answer is simple -- the right job wasn't available.

Smart is the latest hot, young coach riding a wave of postseason success. But that "heat" doesn't last forever. If his team struggles next season, the opportunity to move up to a bigger conference may no longer be there. That's why you see coaches use mid-majors as a stepping stone so often. You have to strike while the iron is hot, so to speak.

Smart didn't maximize his potential earnings, he still capitalized on his team's success.

Stevens is now in a different position than Smart. The fact that he has taken Butler to back-to-back national title games firmly entrenches him among the "greats". Whenever he decides to leave Butler, he can get just about any job that he wants. The "heat" is not going to subside on Stevens.

These two aren't the first coaches to make the decision to remain at a school sitting outside the power six conferences. Mark Few has remained at Gonzaga for over a decade now. Chris Mooney just signed a 10 year contract to stay at Richmond. Jim Larrananga didn't go anywhere after taking George Mason to the Final Four.

As they say, money makes the world go 'round. But there is no price that you can put on the happiness of you and your family. There is no price that you can put on enjoying the school you coach at and the town that you live in. I'm sure everyone reading this has had both good and bad experiences with a boss at some point in your life.

The coaches that opt to stay at the mid-major programs have job security. They already have financial security. They are already in a good working and living environment.

Is that really worth leaving for a coaching gig that is anything less than ideal?