Continued: Gophers' Smith signs $13 million deal

Tubby Smith became the highest-paid employee in University of Minnesota history when he signed his memorandum of understanding last March. The university sweetened the pot by several hundred thousand dollars over the seven-year deal before Smith officially signed his contract, which was made public Tuesday.

Smith can earn more than $13 million in base, supplemental and camp money over the seven-year contract, and can earn additional money in incentives that could boost his annual salary to more than $3.3 million this year. He also receives a car, tickets to Gophers athletic contests and travel expenses to games for his family, plus retirement money.

Here are the biggest changes between the contract Smith signed and the memo of understanding agreed to when he accepted the job in March:

• A guaranteed annual raise in base salary of 5 percent, pending a yearly job review. There was no guaranteed raise in the memo of understanding. Smith's base salary this year is $600,000, and a 5 percent annual raise will boost the base to more than $800,000 in the seventh year of the deal.

Smith's $1.15 million annual supplemental income remains fixed over the contract.

• Smith will receive $50,000 every summer he holds a basketball camp at the university over the first four years of the deal, and will also be allowed to retain camp profits. The memorandum contained no such camp money from the university, meaning Smith will receive an extra $200,000 for operating camps, plus profits from the camps.

University officials insisted on keeping language in the contract that would allow them to dismiss Smith for just cause for a serious violation as determined by the university, without waiting for a determination by the NCAA. That clause was not in the contract of former Gophers coach Clem Haskins, and has become standard.

"We're very pleased to have all the details ironed out,'' university General Counsel Mark Rotenberg said.

Said Smith: "We finally got that all done. The lawyers stretched it out long enough, but I'm happy to have that done."

Smith's salary without incentives puts him at the top of the Big Ten with coaches such as Ohio State's Thad Matta and Michigan State's Tom Izzo, who both make around $2 million per year.

Smith's contract is much more lucrative than that of Gophers football coach Tim Brewster, who receives $800,000 in guaranteed money (base and supplemental) and has no minimum annual raise guarantee.

Ricky Lefft, Smith's lawyer and friend, said the length of the negotiations were affected by the Interstate 35W bridge collapse in August, which demanded the university's time and attention. Lefft also noted that it is not unusual for contract negotiations to stretch out over several months.

Smith has made it known that he wants a new practice facility, which he believes is necessary to attract top recruits. Lefft would not say if discussions surrounding a potential practice facility hindered talks between Smith and the school, but said the time lapse should not be viewed as a sign of animosity or disagreement between the two parties.

"It was just basically trying to make sure we got the language correct and that everybody was happy with the deal we ultimately put in place," Lefft said.

University of Minnesota Athletic Director Joel Maturi said Smith discussed his desire for a new practice facility prior to agreeing to leaving Kentucky for Minnesota. Maturi said university officials have had discussions about building a practice facility, but said the football team's new stadium and a proposed baseball stadium are greater priorities.

Maturi said the actual contract is not radically different than the terms Smith agreed to in March. But the additional $200,000 in camp money, plus proceeds from the camp, is a potentially lucrative addition.

At the University of Kentucky, Smith made $105,872 from holding a summer basketball camp in 2005. His total "outside athletically related income" that year was $227,455.

This much is certain: On the day Smith finally signed his deal, Maturi had no signs of buyer's remorse.

"I feel excited," he said. "I feel excited about the future of Gophers men's basketball."