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Alex Jensen is introduced as the new head coach for the University of Utah men's basketball team at a press conference at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, March 17, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
The University of Utah’s increased commitment to its men’s basketball program is reflected in the contract the team’s new head coach, Alex Jensen, signed earlier this month.
The Deseret News obtained a copy of Jensen’s employee agreement with the university — a six-year contract that runs from March 17, 2025, to March 31, 2031 — through a public records request.
He will make $3.6 million during the first year of his contract, a number that will increase each year by $100,000 in Years 2 through 6 of the agreement.
There’s also the opportunity of up to $750,000 in incentive bonuses each season.
That $3.6 million salary during the 2025-26 season is $1.3 million more than Jensen’s predecessor, Craig Smith, made in his final season as Utah’s coach, according to a USA Today report. Smith was fired Feb. 24 before the end of his fourth season.
Here’s how the numbers of Jensen’s contract break down, and how it compares to the salary of other Big 12 head coaches.
How much Alex Jensen will make annually on his 6-year contract
A breakdown of the annual compensation Jensen will receive as a part of the contract:
- $300,000 in base salary
- $2.5 million* for appearances, public speaking and fundraising activities each year, with a $100,000 raise each subsequent year that takes effect every April 1, beginning in 2026
- $400,000 in official outfitter agreement, currently with Under Armour
- $400,000 in multimedia rights agreement
- Total: $3.6 million in Year 1*
Of note*: Given the $100,000 increase in Jensen’s compensation for appearances, public speaking and fundraising activities each year beginning in 2026, he would make $3.7 million in annual salary in 2026; $3.8 million in 2027; $3.9 million in 2028; $4.0 million in 2029; and $4.1 million in 2030.
Based off those numbers, Jensen would make $23.1 million over the six-year contract, with up to a max of $27.6 million depending on what incentives are met.
Incentive-based compensation included in Alex Jensen’s Utah contract
The annual incentives are broken into three categories, per the contract:
| Conference regular-season standings (one of the following) | Incentive payment |
|---|---|
| Conference regular-season champion | $100,000 |
| Top 4 finish (determined by conference tournament seeding) | $25,000 |
| The following bonuses can be cumulative | Incentive payment |
|---|---|
| Conference tournament champion | $50,000 |
| NCAA Tournament berth | $25,000 |
| NCAA Tournament first-round win | $25,000 |
| Sweet 16 appearance | $50,000 |
| Elite 8 appearance | $75,000 |
| Final 4 appearance | $100,000 |
| Win national championship | $200,000 |
| Conference coach of the year | $25,000 |
| National coach of the year: Naismith or NABC | $50,000 |
| Single-year APR bonus (one of the following) | Incentive payment |
|---|---|
| 950 | $10,000 |
| 970 | $25,000 |
| 990 | $50,000 |
| Total potential annual bonus payout | $750,000 |
Other university benefits outlined in Alex Jensen’s contract
Per the contract, university benefits that Jensen will receive include:
- 15 days of vacation leave each year
- Car (or $600/month car allowance)
- Smartphone
- 12 men’s basketball season tickets and six football season tickets
- 7,000 Under Armour VIP points
- Up to 7% of his total compensation for moving expenses
How ‘transition period’ with Dallas Mavericks factors into Alex Jensen’s contract
Jensen is currently finishing the season with the Dallas Mavericks — where he’s been an assistant coach the past two seasons — and that is factored into his contract.
Jensen will be employed by both the Mavericks and the University of Utah until he finishes the 2024-25 season with the Mavericks, a time that shall not exceed June 30, 2025, per the contract.
During this “transition period,” Jensen will not be required to work more than 10 hours per week for the university.
He will receive 25% of his base salary from Utah during the transition period, and the compensation will return to 100% once his time as an assistant coach with Dallas is over.
How Alex Jensen’s salary stacks up to other Big 12 men’s basketball coaches
Based on the data that is currently available, Jensen’s base compensation will make him the eighth-highest-paid men’s basketball coach in the Big 12, according to the USA Today men’s college basketball coaches salary database.
By comparison, Smith was second-to-last in the Big 12 in annual salary this season at $2.3 million, ahead of only UCF’s Johnny Dawkins.
Here are the annual salary numbers for each Big 12 coach (based off the 2024-25 season for everyone except Jensen), according to USA Today:
- Bill Self, Kansas — $8.8 million
- Scott Drew, Baylor — $5.41 million
- Tommy Lloyd, Arizona — $5.25 million
- Kelvin Sampson, Houston — $4.6 million
- Jamie Dixon, TCU — $4.1 million
- Grant McCasland, Texas Tech — $3.9 million
- Jerome Tang, Kansas State — $3.7 million
- Alex Jensen, Utah — $3.6 million
- Bobby Hurley, Arizona State — $3.54 million
- T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State — $3.5 million
- Wes Miller, Cincinnati — $2.6 million
- Tad Boyle, Colorado — $2.5 million
- Steve Lutz, Oklahoma State — $2.4 million
- Johnny Dawkins, UCF — $2 million
Note No. 1: There are no contract details available on USA Today’s database for BYU’s Kevin Young, as BYU is a private institution.
Note No. 2: West Virginia has a new head coach, Ross Hodge, that is not included on this list. Former West Virginia coach Darian DeVries made $2.9 million, according to USA Today, in his one year in Morgantown, West Virginia.
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