Greg McDermott says he hopes to finish his career at Creighton after signing long-term extension

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Creighton coach Greg McDermott has signed a long-term contract extension that he hopes will keep him with the Bluejays until the end of his career.

Athletic director Marcus Blossom announced the extension on Friday without disclosing the number of years. McDermott's previous contract was set to expire at the end of the 2025-26 season.

ESPN, citing anonymous sources, reported the new contract runs through 2027-28 and would make McDermott one of the highest-paid coaches in the Big East.

The 10th-ranked Bluejays finish the regular season at Villanova on Saturday. The 59-year-old McDermott is 322-158 in 14 seasons with 20-win seasons all but one year. He has led Creighton to eight NCAA Tournaments, with the 2022-23 team reaching a regional final.

“There is no place I would rather be for the rest of my career than Creighton,” McDermott said. “I am grateful to Father (Daniel) Hendrickson and Marcus Blossom for their ongoing confidence. My staff and I are fortunate to work with outstanding student-athletes and we will continue to create an environment that allows them to excel both on the court and in the classroom. We are proud to play in front of the best fans in the country and I am excited to build upon the positive trajectory of our program.”

As a private university, Creighton generally is not subject to state and federal open records laws.

“While the length and financial details of this extension will not be disclosed, I can say that this long-term contract extension will ensure Greg McDermott is the head coach of Creighton men's basketball for the foreseeable future,” athletic department spokesman Rob Anderson said in a text to The Associated Press.

Creighton paid McDermott just over $2.3 million in reportable wages in 2022, according to the school's most recent Form 990, which 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are required to file annually to the International Revenue Service.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball