New UK basketball coaches set to more than those who departed

The financial pinch caused by the coronavirus pandemic apparently will not be reflected in the coaching contracts on Kentucky’s basketball staff.

According to preliminary documents obtained in an open records request, new assistants Orlando Antigua and Ron “Chin” Coleman would be making significantly higher salaries this season than the coaches they’re replacing — Tony Barbee and Joel justus — did last season.

Terms have been agreed upon but not yet formalized in contracts for Antigua and Coleman, UK said. Antigua, whose title is associate coach, would receive $850,000 in 2021-22. Coleman, who is an assistant coach, would receive $450,000.

The three-year agreements call for Antigua to receive $875,000 and $900,000 in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, respectively. If he’s still on the UK staff as of June 30, 2024, Antigua would receive a $400,000 bonus.

Coleman’s salary would increase to $500,000 and $550,000 in that same time frame.

Barbee received a salary of $550,000 last season. Justus received $300,000.

Tony Neely, UK’s assistant athletics director for athletics communication and public relations, said that a review of coaching contracts across the country and in the Southeastern Conference helps Kentucky determine salaries. Another factor is salaries at previous jobs, Neely said.

Antigua and Coleman had been assistant coaches at Illinois, where each received contract extensions and raises in March 2020, The Chicago Tribune reported. Illinois reportedly offered to raise Antigua’s compensation to more than $1 million in an effort to entice him to stay.

During a December Zoom meeting with a subcommittee of UK’s Board of Trustees that deals with sports, Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said his department might be facing a “historic budget challenge” due to lost revenue from ticket sales and ticket-related contributions to the K Fund. He said that UK projected a possible loss of $35 million.

However, Barnhart added that the losses could be offset by increases in the revenue UK received from the SEC, surplus funds from previous years and a reduction in expenses.

With an additional $23 million received from the SEC in May, Kentucky expects a balanced athletics budget for the 2020-21 school year, Neely said.

As for the two other coaches on UK’s basketball staff, associate to the head coach James “Bruiser” Flint is scheduled to receive $525,000 this season. Jai Lucas, whose title is assistant coach/recruiting coordinator, will receive $300,000.

One stable feature in the compensation for UK coaches is in bonuses resulting from postseason success.

As with Barbee and Justus, Antigua and Coleman will each receive $25,000 if Kentucky advances to the 2022 Final Four and another $25,000 if UK wins the national championship.

Remembering Rick

A memorial service will be held on Friday (Oct. 15) for the late Rick Bailey, who filled multiple roles in 40-plus years of practicing journalism in Kentucky. He died on Sept. 23 at age 76.

“Rick was really an institution there and so well-liked across the state,” recalled Stuart Warner, a sports editor at the then Lexington Herald in the 1970s.

Warner credited Bailey’s coverage of Ohio Valley Conference teams as giving the league credibility and visibility.

Not that Bailey was immune to typical reporter-coach friction.

“Nobody could get under Joe Hall’s skin like Rick could,” Warner said.

Warner recalled joining Bailey (at the time sports editor of the Leader) and executives of Lexington’s then two newspapers at a summit meeting with then UK football coach Fran Curci and Hall. Topic of discussion: coaching complaints about UK coverage.

“I thought Joe B. would come across the table at Rick at one point,” Warner said. “… I guess it cleared the air. We all survived and went our separate ways.”

The memorial service will be at Lexington’s First United Methodist Church (200 West High Street) beginning at 12:15 p.m. A visitation is planned from 11 a.m. to noon. Masks are required.

‘Just a gentleman’

On a personal level, Stuart Warner recalled his concern about being named sports editor of the Herald at age 25. Several people on the sports staff were older. Rick Bailey was seven years older.

Some were not only more experienced in newspaper work, but they were also Vietnam War veterans, Warner said. Bailey served in the U.S. Air Force from 1968 to 1972. So, how would they feel about a 25-year-old boss?

“Nothing but supportive, especially Rick,” Warner said of the staff’s acceptance. “He was just a gentleman.”

FAIR

Karl Park, who is in his 48th year as an Eastern Kentucky University athletics department staffer, recalled Rick Bailey as a friend and a professional.

“We would get together in the offseason in April and enjoy an afternoon at Keeneland far away from the bouncing basketballs and the sounds of pads hitting each other on the football field,” Park wrote in an email. “My remembrance of Rick certainly has to be headed with one adjective: FAIR.

“We at EKU, of course, wanted more coverage from the Herald-Leader. But down deep, I knew he was not a cheerleader of our football and basketball programs.”

Corrections

A previous story about Rick Bailey said he was a Paintsville native. Actually, he was born in Ypsilanti, Mich.

And the story incorrectly said religion was Bailey’s final reporting assignment. Actually, he returned to sports after first covering sports, then entertainment and religion.

Player of Year

Kofi Cockburn, the 7-footer who apparently considered transferring to Kentucky before remaining at Illinois, was voted the Big Ten Player of the Year in a preseason media poll. He received 11 of the 28 first-place votes in a poll conducted by The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch and The Athletic.

Legends of coaching

Rick Byrd of Belmont will receive the “Legends of Coaching” John R. Wooden Award next April. Honorees are selected based on character, success on the court, graduation rate of players and coaching philosophy.

Past winners include former UK coach Tubby Smith (2016 while Texas Tech coach), former Louisville coach Denny Crum (2002), Tennessee Coach Rick Barnes (2009 while at Texas) and former Florida coach Lon Kruger (2019 while at Oklahoma).

A native of Knoxville, Byrd coached Belmont for 33 seasons. He retired after the 2018-19 season with 805 career victories.

Belmont basketball also led the nation in the number of Academic All-Americans and posted a team grade-point average of 3.0 or better in 20 straight seasons.

Women’s clinic

The John Calipari Women’s Clinic will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 24 at Rupp Arena.

The clinic offers a behind-the-scenes look at the UK basketball program, a panel discussion with the coaching staff, an interactive presentation from strength and conditioning coach Robert Harris, a fashion show and a question-and-answer session with UK Coach John Calipari.

Ellen Calipari will be a co-host.

All participants will be required to wear masks.

Registration will be from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Participants should enter Rupp Arena from High Street for check-in. Parking will be available in the High Street lot.

Because of NCAA rules, prospect-age females are not permitted to attend.

Admission prices range from $99 to $150.

Questions can be answered by calling 859-257-9457 or 859-257-1916.

Registration can be done online at https://campscui.active.com/orgs/UniversityofKentuckyMensBasketball.

Pro Day

UK’s Pro Day, in which NBA personnel watch players in a practice, will be held Sunday evening (Oct. 10) in Rupp Arena.

The SEC Network will televise UK’s Pro Day from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. EST. Tom Hart and Seth Greenberg will be the co-hosts on the telecast.

Premiere

Ex-Cat Tyler Herro’s online show entitled “Super Herro Summer’‘ premieres at noon ET Sunday (Oct. 10) on Overtime’s YouTube page.

Happy birthday

To Bill Busey. He turned 73 on Friday. … To Reggie Hanson. He turned 53 on Friday. … To former Tennessee coach (and Louisville assistant) Wade Houston. He turned 77 on Saturday. … To former South Carolina coach Dave Odom. He turned 79 on Saturday. … To Mark Krebs. He turns 35 on Sunday (today). … To Keldon Johnson. He turns 22 on Monday. … To Mike Ballenger. He turns 59 on Monday. … To Alabama Coach Nate Oats. He turns 47 on Wednesday.