OAKLAND, Calif. -- Antawn Jamison thought about giving up on the Golden State Warriors -- until he remembered one of his first goals when he entered the NBA.

Jamison, the league's ninth-leading scorer last season, agreed to a six-year contract extension with the Warriors on Tuesday. The deal's exact value won't be fixed until next season's salary cap is determined, but the contract will be worth more than $86 million.

Although Jamison was openly angry and depressed as the Warriors stumbled to the NBA's second-worst record last season at 17-65, he said he's committed to turning things around at Golden State _ which was his primary objective when he came to Oakland in 1998.

"I want to turn this situation into a positive," said Jamison, who wiped away tears at a news conference. "Friends have asked why I want to stay. They say, 'Go somewhere else. Go to a winning organization.'

"But I want to see my name retired in the rafters at the (Oakland) Arena. I want people to say, 'Golden State is a winning organization.' I want to be a part of that when it happens _ and it's going to happen. People can say it started when I made this commitment."

The contract is the largest deal allowed under the league's collective bargaining agreement and the largest contract in Bay area sports history, according to Golden State general manager Garry St. Jean.

"This is a major step forward as we develop a young nucleus for the future," St. Jean said. "You need talent and character to do well in this league, and we feel this young man has both of those attributes."

Jamison averaged 24.9 points and 8.7 rebounds last season. He was second in the league with 800 field goals, and he played all 82 games after injuries hampered his previous season with the Warriors.

But while Jamison matured into a superstar, Golden State continued to flounder. Jamison is the cornerstone of the franchise's rebuilding effort, but the North Carolina graduate's patience wore thin during last season, which included several lengthy losing streaks and a 2-32 record after the All-Star break.

If he had not signed an extension by Oct. 31, Jamison would have become a restricted free agent next summer. But a meeting last week with Warriors owner Chris Cohan closed the deal on Jamison's extension, and he also closed a deal to buy a house in the East Bay's upscale Blackhawk suburb.

"Once I knew I was going to be here, that condo was getting too small for me," he said with a grin.

Like many around the team, Jamison also has optimism for the upcoming season -- simply because he believes things couldn't possibly get worse.

The Warriors led the league in man-games lost to injury in each of the past two years, but with everyone healthy and three talented rookies in the fold, Jamison thinks the Warriors have built a foundation for success.

"I want to see a sellout crowd every night," Jamison said. "I want to make it to the playoffs year after year. I want to do it for the fans, because they've been here a lot longer than I have. This is just my fourth year, and the losing hurts me. I think we owe it to these fans to have a very successful franchise. I believe it can happen."

Jamison's deal is similar to the reported six-year, $94 million contract signed earlier this summer by Toronto's Vince Carter, who was drafted one spot behind Jamison in 1998.

Like his former Tar Heels teammate, Jamison chose to stay with the organization that drafted and nurtured him, rather than seeking similar riches elsewhere.

"Vince made a good choice, and he had the same reasons I did," Jamison said. "This is home for me. I said it before when I got here: This is where I want to start and end my career. I'm going to dedicate myself to this organization."