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Lute's recruits continue to earn titles and big NBA money
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Four former Arizona Wildcats won NBA championship rings this season -- priceless -- but we're here to make an accounting of the stuff we can actually quantify. The cold, hard cash.
But, first, the jewelry.
Golden State first-year head coach Steve Kerr led the Warriors to the title in six games over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. In adding to the five rings he won as a player (three with the Bulls, two with the Spurs), Kerr was assisted by ex-Cat Luke Walton and former UA teammate Bruce Frasier.
One of Golden State's best players was 11th-year veteran Andre Iguodala, who took home the Finals MVP trophy as well as an annual salary of more than $12 million.
You can see, even though Lute Olson coached his last game at Arizona in 2007, his former players are still doing quite well in the NBA.
Seven of his ex-Wildcats played in the NBA last season -- Iguodala, Jerryd Bayless, Chase Budinger, Channing Frye, Jordan Hill, Richard Jefferson and Jason Terry. They combined to earn about $45 million last season, pushing the grand total of what Lute's recruits have earned in NBA salary to ... drum roll ...
$1,050,973,699.
What's more, that collective group still has earning power, owed more than $54 million in current contracts.
At Arizona, Olson placed 34 players into the NBA. We're counting players he recruited, who played for Arizona and finished their careers with the Wildcats. For example, the list does not include Brandon Jennings, who signed but never showed up at Arizona, or Will Bynum, who transferred to Georgia Tech before landing in the NBA.
Arizona coach Sean Miller had five of his former Wildcats play in the NBA last season -- Derrick Williams, Solomon Hill, Grant Jerrett and rookies Aaron Gordon and Nick Johnson. Two more were selected in the first round last week -- Stanley Johnson (No. 8 overall) and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (No. 23). T.J. McConnell and Brandon Ashley are hoping to stick as undrafted free agents.
So far, Miller's recruits have earned $29.7 million in the NBA, the majority from Williams, a four-year pro and former No. 2 overall pick who has earned nearly $21 million in salary.
It's a long way to the 10-figure total of Lute's recruits, but Miller has time to build such a legacy.
Lute's legacy includes the $1.05 billion in NBA salaries, which, remember, doesn't take into account additional windfalls from endorsements, appearance fees, etc., or the very good livings made by ex-Wildcats overseas, such as Bennett Davison, A.J. Bramlett, Joseph Blair and more.
As for champions, Iguodala was the seventh Lute recruit to win as a player, joining Kerr, Jud Buechler (Bulls, 1996, '97 and '98), Walton (Lakers, 2009,'10), Bison Dele (Bulls, 1997), Sean Elliott (1999, Spurs) and Terry (2011, Mavericks). That's 14 titles as players, plus three more from the Warriors coaching staff this season.
Here is the breakdown of what Lute's recruits have earned in the NBA, with Terry joining the nine-figure club this season:
| Player | NBA salary |
|---|---|
| Gilbert Arenas | $181,904,131 |
| Richard Jefferson | $108,055,524 |
| Mike Bibby | $107,576,621 |
| Jason Terry | $102,223,087 |
| Damon Stoudamire | $100,535,041 |
| Andre Iguodala | $98,482,435 |
| Michael Dickerson | $50,425,662 |
| Channing Frye | $43,899,596 |
| Sean Elliott | $40,626,666 |
| Chris Mills | $37,370,000 |
| Luke Walton | $33,903,340 |
| Jordan Hill | $24,204,687 |
| Bison Dele | $22,159,500 |
| Jerryd Bayless | $18,606,420 |
| Sean Rooks | $17,173,000 |
| Steve Kerr | $16,119,000 |
| Chase Budinger | $12,977,968 |
| Jud Buechler | $11,365,000 |
| Khalid Reeves | $9,013,309 |
| Loren Woods | $3,468,931 |
| Tom Tolbert | $2,919,500 |
| Anthony Cook | $2,295,000 |
| Salim Stoudamire | $2,187,000 |
| Ben Davis | $715,847 |
| Hassan Adams | $709,881 |
| Miles Simon | $672,500 |
| Reggie Geary | $492,250 |
| Ed Stokes | $272,500 |
| Ray Owes | $220,000 |
| Mustafa Shakur | $145,120 |
| A.J. Bramlett | $118,974 |
| Pete Williams | $70,000 |
| Marcus Williams | $52,209 |
| Matt Othick | $13,000 |
| TOTAL | $1,050,973,699 |
NOTE: Contract numbers are taken from basketball-reference.com, the USA Today salary database and other media sources. The numbers don't always agree down to the dollar, but it's close.
