ESPN.com - NCB - Eustachy gets more money in reworked deal

Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy agreed to a new 10-year contract worth $1.1 million annually, a source close to Eustachy told ESPN.com on Monday night.


	Iowa State's reworking of Larry Eustachy's contract is cause for celebration in Ames.

The school announced the deal Monday but didn't release details of the contract. Eustachy had signed a 10-year, $900,000-a-year contract – that contract was negotiated by athletic director Bruce Van De Velde's predecessor, Gene Smith – last March during Iowa State's run to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

The move signals the end of speculation on Eustachy's future. Eustachy was one of the top potential candidates to succeed Denny Crum at Louisville because of his relationship with athletic director Tom Jurich; the two went to high school together and remain good friends.

But the school's attention is expected to shift toward former Boston Celtics coach Pitino. Pitino told ESPN.com on Monday that he hasn't spoken to Jurich yet.

The same source told ESPN.com that Eustachy's contract could be worth up to $1.3 million a year with incentives. Eustachy could have left after this season with four seniors starting. He was already receiving feelers, including a call made by an intermediary from UNLV after it got spurned by Pitino.

Van De Velde said Monday that other schools had contacted Eustachy about coaching jobs and he wanted to make sure Eustachy was satisfied at Iowa State.

"I was flattered by it," Eustachy told The Associated Press. "I just stayed with what I originally said: This is my last job. It did catch me off guard, but it's a nice way to be off guard."

Van Velde would not say what other schools had approached Eustachy, who was The Associated Press national coach of the year last season and has guided Iowa State to the last two Big 12 regular-season championships.

The Cyclones also won the Big 12 tournament last season and reached the final eight in the NCAA tournament. Their 57 victories the past two seasons are the most in Division I.

Iowa State is 25-4 this season and ranked eighth in this week's ESPN/USA Today poll, seventh in AP.

Eustachy had been considered a candidate to succeed Denny Crum at Louisville. Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich went to high school with Eustachy and they remain good friends.

"There have been opportunities that have come and gone," Eustachy said. "But I've always maintained that this is what I want to do. This is the best job in America in my eyes. That's all that counts."

Van De Velde said he initiated the talks with Eustachy last Friday "to put an end to any and all speculation" about Eustachy's future. He said the discussions involved the long-term aspects of the basketball program and not just contract.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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