Getty Head coach Mark Few of the Gonzaga Bulldogs looks on during their game against the Baylor Bears in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.
Mark Few has lived in the Pacific Northwest his entire life. After graduating from Oregon with a B.S. in physical education, he eventually earned a graduate assistant job at a little school called Gonzaga in Spokane (Wash.) in 1989. 10 years later, he took over as head coach.
20 years after that, here’s his list of accomplishments:
- 15-Time WCC Tournament titles
- 18 WCC regular-season titles
- 2017 NCAA Runner-Up
- 2017 Naismith Coach of the Year
He’s built a program that has supplanted the UCLA’s and Arizona’s of the world as the West Coast’s premier power. He has the No. 1 seeded Zags back in the Sweet 16 this year, as they face No. 4 Florida State Thursday in Anaheim (7:09 p.m. EST, CBS).
It’s a rematch of last year’s West Regional semifinal in Los Angeles, where Leonard Hamilton and the Seminoles ousted Few and company by 15 points.
Even without revenge Thursday night, Few has done plenty to earn a hefty salary. What exactly does he make?
According to USA Today Sports, he earns $1.78 million a year with his current contract. It ranks No. 61 out of all coaches in the country, just behind Georgia Tech’s Josh Pastner. The Yellow Jackets finished 14-18 this season out of the ACC.
Compared to Hamilton, Few makes nearly $500 thousand less. Hamilton earns $2.25 million a year plus bonuses (good for No. 48 nationally). The highest paid coach is Kentucky’s John Calipari at over $9 million. Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski is second at over $7 million. Michigan State’s Tom Izzo is third at $4.157 million.
There’s a handful of Pac-12 coaches that outearn Few. Utah’s Larry Krystkowiak went just 17-14, but made $3.57 million. Oregon’s Dana Altman has led the Ducks to the Sweet 16 with an annual salary of $2.8 million.
Sean Miller of Arizona, the fired Steve Alford of UCLA and Arizona State’s Bobby Hurley are the other three Pac-12 coaches that made more than Few this year. Only the Sun Devils made the NCAA Tournament out of that trio.
Gonzaga may not have the funds to shell out more cash to Few, but that’s been the case for 3 decades. Don’t expect money to pry him out of Spokane.