We update the Hokies' busy men's basketball offseason.
Great waves of confusion rippled through the college basketball world when Buzz Williams left Marquette for Virginia Tech, and they continue to lap at the shores of dumbfounded minds across the land. The puzzlement intensified when word trickled out that Williams actually took a pay cut to undertake the massive rebuilding job in Blacksburg.
We now learn that it's not quite that simple.
As reported by Marquette basketball blog Paint Touches, Williams' Virginia Tech contract is incredibly lucrative despite being for less money on the surface.
Williams earned $2.8 million annually at Marquette versus the $2.3 million (plus $100,000 raise each year) he's scheduled to make at Virginia Tech. After the third year, the contract automatically extends an additional season beginning June 30, 2017.
If Buzz were to have success and decide to take another job, his buyout quickly falls from $7 million in year one to $500,000 in year five and just $250,000 any year after that.
He also has an unusual clause that allows income generated from things like speaking engagements and basketball camps to be paid directly to Williams. Usually that revenue goes to the school.
This is all in addition to the usual perks like a Country Club membership, cars and various performance bonuses. It's safe to say that if Buzz has success in Blacksburg and wants to say he has the job security and financial incentive to stick around for quite some time.
John Egbunu Commits to Florida
6'10"center John Egbunu took his final official visit to Virginia Tech this week but it wasn't enough to persuade him to choose the Hokies. The South Florida transfer picked the Gators Thursday over Michigan State and Virginia Tech. He averaged 7.4 PPG and 6.3 RPG last season for USF.
Shane Henry Schedules Visits
6'8" Junior College forward Shane Henry has a slightly different list of schools now than when we first began following his recruitment. Arkansas is no longer a factor and he will choose between the Hokies, Louisiana Tech and Texas Tech.
He visited Louisiana Tech last week and will head to Texas Tech next. It's unclear when he will visit Blacksburg. Buzz is competing against Tubby Smith at Texas Tech—who won a national title with Rick Pitino's leftovers in 1998—and a coach with a sneaky basketball pedigree in Michael White at Louisiana Tech. Not many coaches can boast that their father is the Duke Athletic Director (also formerly of Notre Dame).
We'll continue to keep you posted on the happenings on recruiting trail as Buzz Williams puts the finishing touches on his first Tech recruiting class.