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Oregon Women’s Basketball: Kelly Graves Agrees To Contract Extension

By Justin Phillips

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 07: Head coach Kelly Graves of the Oregon Ducks looks on as his team takes on the Arizona Wildcats during the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament semifinals at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on March 7, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Ducks defeated the Wildcats 88-70. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 07: Head coach Kelly Graves of the Oregon Ducks looks on as his team takes on the Arizona Wildcats during the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament semifinals at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on March 7, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Ducks defeated the Wildcats 88-70. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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The University of Oregon has taken care of their second athletic Head Coach heading into 2021.

The Ducks extended the contract of Football Head Coach Mario Cristobal earlier this month and have now done the same for Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kelly Graves.

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While the terms for Cristobal were released making him one of the top paid coaches in the Pac 12, compared to where he was before toward the bottom of the conference, the terms for Graves were not immediately released. In the time of COVID-19 and the ongoing pandemic, both contracts were paid through private athletic gifts rather than any revenue made from the respective sports.

Revenue from any sport in the pandemic is likely not enough to make a dent in what was offered on either contract. What we do know is that Oregon has a coach in Kelly Graves who brought a blueprint to Eugene in 2014 and since then has made Oregon Women’s Basketball into a national brand, not only with the players he has brought to the program but with the style of play he has for his program.

Graves has coached some of the best athletes to ever wear an Oregon uniform in the sport including Sabrina Ionescu, who was the number one pick in the WNBA Draft last season. He was also able to make Ruthy Hebard a household name and has continuously bright top recruiting classes into the program. So far in 2020, the Ducks are undefeated entering the game on Friday and despite losing the bulk of their offense from last season with Ionescu, Hebard, and Satou Sabally departing, the team has shown fight and grit in several games this season.

Kelly Graves will be in Eugene through the 2028-29 season with the agreement he reached with the University of Oregon on Wednesday. For Oregon fans, this is a great way to end 2021, and look forward to Oregon sports in 2021.

The Oregon Women’s Basketball team continues Pac-12 play hosting Cal on January 1st from Matthew Knight Arena. Tipoff is set for 6 pm on Pac12 Network.