Five most underpaid men's college basketball coaches: Paris, Painter make list

Hired as the head coach of the Chattanooga Mocs in 2017, Lamont Paris won only a combined 22 games in his first two seasons before things took off. In his final season, 2021-22, the Mocs went 27-8, won the Southern Conference regular-season and tournament championships, and nearly topped Illinois as a No. 13 seed in the men's NCAA tournament, losing 54-53.

It took only two seasons for Paris, 49, to do the same at South Carolina. After going 11-21 in his debut year, Paris has the Gamecocks at 25-6 and a No. 5 seed in USA TODAY Sports' latest bracketology update.

How much would you be willing to spend on a coach capable of such a rapid turnaround? While 19 Division I coaches are earning at least $4 million in salary, Paris will make $2.3 million in total compensation in 2023-24.

USA TODAY Sports compiled pay information from each school in the Power Five conferences and from each school outside those conferences whose team has appeared in at least three of the past five NCAA tournaments.

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Here are the coaches providing the best return on investment, beginning with Paris at South Carolina.

Lamont Paris, South Carolina

Paris cut his teeth as an assistant at Wisconsin under Hall of Fame coach Bo Ryan, and it shows. This year's tournament bid, just South Carolina's second since 2004, has made the Gamecocks one of the top success stories in Division I and a program to watch in the Power Six. The Gamecocks' 25 wins have tied a program record during the regular season set in 1969-70 while the 13-5 mark in conference play is second to the 1996-97 squad that went 15-1 for the best conference winning percentage since becoming members of the SEC in 1991.

T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State

With Iowa State nipping at Houston's heels in the Big 12 and in the mix for one of the top tournament seeds, Otzelberger is an easy pick to make this list for the second year in a row. After reaching the Sweet 16 to end his first season in 2022 and losing in the first round last March, Otzelberger's third team is easily his best. It's good to keep in mind what he inherited: Iowa State won only two games during the 2020-21 season and went winless in conference play. Otzelberger is making $2.5 million in total compensation this season.

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Matt Painter, Purdue

No, Purdue's success during the regular season under Painter hasn't extended to the postseason. But even after the Boilermakers' historic first-round exit as a No. 1 seed last March, the $3.7 million in compensation Painter will earn in 2023-24 ranks 24th among coaches on our list and remains one of the best deals in college basketball. Purdue has won at least 29 games in each of the past three seasons and has won at least 25 games 12 times since Painter replaced Gene Keady in 2005. This year's team is built to reverse last year's disappointment and make the program's first Final Four since 1980, which would give Painter the one missing piece on an otherwise impressive résumé.

Kyle Smith, Washington State

Smith has yet to post a losing season in his five years at Washington State, which might not sound too remarkable until you remember the Cougars hadn't posted a winning record in the regular season since 2010-11 when the 54-year-old was hired away from San Francisco. After back-to-back NIT appearances the past two years, the 2023-24 Cougars are headed to the tournament for the first time since reaching the Sweet 16 under current Virginia coach Tony Bennett in 2008. Overall, this will be just the seventh tournament bid in program history. Smith will earn $1.5 million in compensation for his work this season.

Danny Sprinkle, Utah State

At $900,000 in total compensation in 2023-24, Sprinkle has provided the best win-for-your-buck return of any coach in Division I. The Mountain West Coach of the Year after going 26-5 and leading the Aggies to the top of a loaded conference in his first season, he's set to make three tournament appearances in a row at two different stops, joining two trips in a row at his alma mater, Montana State. The 47-year-old Sprinkle is now 107-48 in five seasons as a Division I head coach with no losing finishes, including an eye-opening 78-23 across the past three years.

Follow colleges reporter Paul Myerberg on social media @PaulMyerberg