Harrick’s Deal May Pay $545,000 Annually

In what should come as a surprise to no one, UCLA will give basketball Coach Jim Harrick a raise. His new contract, made official Tuesday, calls for an increase of at least $40,000 per year and could be worth up to $545,000 annually.

The contract, a copy of which was obtained by The Times, guarantees Harrick $420,000 for five years through the 1999-2000 season, but Harrick could earn roughly $125,000 more if he wins another national title.

In the old contract, which was to end in 1997, Harrick was guaranteed $378,000 but the final take last year after winning the NCAA tournament was close to $500,000 after incentives, bonuses, and his share of the profits from the UCLA basketball camp.

“I am very pleased with the progress of the UCLA program under Jim Harrick,� Athletic Director Peter Dalis said Thursday after Harrick had signed but before the deal was official.

“We feel that Jim has built a strong foundation to continue the success that UCLA has achieved,� Dalis said.

Harrick was out of town Tuesday and could not be reached for comment.

The school announced that Harrick had signed a new contract on Thursday. It wasn’t signed by Chancellor Charles Young until Tuesday.

Last season, Harrick led the Bruins to their first national title since 1975 and won both the Naismith and National Coach of the Year awards.

UCLA announced Tuesday that Greg White, the former coach at the University of Charleston in West Virginia, has been hired as an assistant coach to Harrick.

White, 36, led the Golden Eagles to two Division II championships in five years and replaces Steve Lavin who was promoted after Mark Gottfried was named coach at Murray State University.

Times staff writer Jim Hodges contributed to this story.