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VCU head coach Shaka Smart has turned down an opportunity to join UCLA, informing them today that he'll be staying with the Rams, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation.
Smart has let UCLA know he accepted a contract extension and will be staying in Richmond. VCU is expected to announce formally Smart's contract extension in the next 24 hours. The deal will go through the year 2023 and will pay him approximately $1.5 million per year, up from the $1.2 million he'd been making.
A majority of what Smart asked VCU for was improvements for his staff and program. That includes more salary for his staff and a bevy of things like better meals for players, improved travel for the program and other perks for his staff.
From the report one can infer that UCLA may have had some contact with Smart. The question we have is whether Dan Guerrero made Smart an offer he couldn't refuse? If the answer is no we certainly hope that it means Guerrero and UCLA boosters think they have one of the other members of the Final-4 in the bag. If not ... we will let you finish the sentence.