Nate Oats’ contract extension on Alabama trustees’ agenda Friday
Amid one of the best seasons in Alabama men’s basketball history, coach Nate Oats is set to receive another contract extension.
Oats’ contract appears on the agenda for the University of Alabama system board of trustees meeting Friday morning in Birmingham. Alabama women’s soccer coach Wes Hart, who led his team to the College Cup this past season, also has an updated contract on the agenda.
CBS Sports reported Thursday that Oats’ new deal will run through the 2029 season and raise his pay to more than $4 million annually.
Oats previous deal, signed in February 2021, ran through the 2026-27 season and raised his compensation to $3.237 million annually. It included an increased buyout that began at $12.5 million in the first year (2021-22), $9.8 million in the second year (2022-23), $7 million in the third year (2023-24) and $2.4 million in the fourth year (2024-25). There would have been no buyout amount in Oats’ previous deal if he left during the final two years (2025-27).
When Alabama hired Oats in 2019 from Buffalo, he signed a five-year deal that paid him $2.46 million annually and included buyouts of $8 million, $6 million and $4 million over the first three seasons.
Oats’ original contract included a $50,000 bonus for Final Four wins, which increased to $100,000 in his 2021 deal.
Alabama (19-3, 9-0 in SEC) is ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press poll and No. 5 in the coaches poll this week. Last week, the Tide rose to a 20-year high in the AP poll and its highest-ever coaches poll ranking at No. 2 in each. Alabama is a projected No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and along with Purdue has the second-shortest betting odds to win the national championship, according to BetMGM.
Oats, 48, has an 80-39 overall record since being hired at Alabama. His teams are 42-21 in conference play, and Alabama won the SEC regular-season and tournament title in 2021 before a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA tournament.
Mike Rodak is an Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.