By Blake Froling
**update**
The University of Michigan has almost finalized a two-year contract extension with John Beilein, according to The Athletic. It is reported to be worth just shy of $4 million per year with a rolling option.
Michigan fans, you can relax now.
It looks head basketball coach John Beilein will be staying in Ann Arbor for the foreseeable future after he tweeted this earlier today:
I love the University of Michigan and I am excited about coaching our Men’s Basketball Team next season and in the years to come ! Let’s go hang some more banners at “THE GREATEST UNIVERSITY IN THE WORLD “#GoBlue
— John Beilein (@JohnBeilein) June 6, 2018
Beilein was one of three rumored candidates to become the next Detroit Pistons head coach, along with former Toronto Raptors head coach Dwayne Casey and San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Ime Udoka.
Beilein and the university have also been reportedly working on a contract extension after he led the Wolverines to their second national championship appearance in six seasons back in April. In his 11 seasons in Ann Arbor, Beilein is 248-143 and the school’s all-time winningest men’s basketball coach.
This is the smart move for Beilein. The NBA is tempting for many college coaches, but more often than not it ends poorly. Beilein has an impeccable legacy at Michigan and he’ll have a job there as long as he wants it. Heck, they might re-name a building in his honor once he retires.
What would have been the upside to taking the Pistons job? Possibly more money, even though he just received a lucrative extension at Michigan. If things went perfectly and he brought a championship to Detroit, he’d be considered the greatest basketball coach in the state of Michigan. But the odds of that happening were very slim based on the current Pistons roster.
It seems like there was genuine interest on Beilein’s side regarding the Pistons job, but at the very least he used the rumors to secure an even richer contract extension. A win for Beilein, a win for the school, a win for Michigan fans, and possibly a win for the Pistons if they hire the right coach now that Beilein is off the table.