Kansas City men’s basketball head coach could be paid a significant amount by university after his release

  Kansas City men’s basketball head coach Marvin Menzies may continue to be paid hundreds of thousands of dollars after the end of his final season at UMKC.

  Following the announcement of the fourth-year coach’s departure, KCUR reported that UMKC may be obligated to pay Menzies through April 2027 under his contract.

  Menzies is paid significantly more than most other UMKC head coaches, with a contractual annual base salary of $350,000. The majority of head coaches at the university make about $72,000 to $168,000.

    “Men’s basketball is our largest revenue-generating sport and is the second-largest revenue generator in the entire NCAA, which plays a large role in our decision-making as it pertains to budgets and coaching contracts,” said Alyssa Lally, assistant director of strategic communications at UMKC.

  The Roos ended the 2025-26 regular season 4-26, ranking 9th in the Summit League.

  “If you’re doing poorly, but you’re still getting paid a lot, I don’t think that’s right,” said Ta’Mia Watson, a first-year dental hygiene student.

  Menzies’ past experience as a coach contributed to his pay.

  “The body of work that Coach Menzies had put together in his career prior to his time in Kansas City made him, at the time, the most decorated coach to ever take the sidelines for our men’s basketball program,” said Lally.

  Watson, who has only been to one women’s basketball game because of a free food incentive, said she does not think there is much student interest or engagement in the sport at UMKC.

  The university announced in early February that it will welcome Mark Turgeon as head coach for the 2026-27 season. 

  “Our goal when hiring is to bring in coaches who can elevate our student athletes, create winning teams and build the culture of our program,” said Lally.

[email protected]