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Kevin Ollie agrees to new deal with UConn, turns down NBA

Kevin Ollie

AP

David J. Phillip

UConn second-year head coach Kevin Ollie had been viewed as a potential candidate for several NBA coaching vacancies. However, the university and its coach have worked out a new deal, assuring Ollie remains in Storrs.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, Ollie has agreed to an extension with the school, which will bump his annual salary to $3 million. While the length of the deal has yet to be reported the new contract more than doubles the salary from this past season past season.

The Los Angeles Lakers were planning on reaching out to Ollie, according to reports, though never contacted him, according to Wojnarowski’s league sources. The Cleveland Cavaliers was pursuing Ollie the hardest.

Ollie made his way to the UConn sidelines after his pro career as an NBA journeyman. Following two seasons as an assistant for the Huskies, he was tasked with replacing Hall of Famer Jim Calhoun. In his first season, UConn was barred from postseason play due to its low APR score. The Huskies made up for their tournament absence the previous year with a memorable run in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, capturing the program’s fourth National Title with a 60-54 win over Kentucky.

Despite graduating Shabazz Napier, UConn has returning and incoming talent on the perimeter. The Huskies are predicted as a top 20 team for the 2014-2015 season, according to College Basketball Talk’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.

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