Dan Hurley has decided to stay at UConn as the men’s basketball coach, turning down a lucrative offer from the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers reportedly offered him a six-year, $70 million deal to become their new head coach, but Hurley chose to remain at UConn in pursuit of a third-straight national championship. Only the UCLA Bruins have achieved this feat in the 1960s and early 1970s. Hurley’s decision to stay at UConn means that the Lakers will continue their search for a replacement for fired head coach Darvin Ham.
Hurley led UConn to back-to-back national championships in April, becoming the first coach to do so since Billy Donovan with Florida in 2007. The Huskies won all six tournament games by double-digits, making them just the sixth team in NCAA history to accomplish this. Despite the speculation about Hurley potentially leaving for a new job, he joked with reporters that he “can’t afford a divorce right now” and mentioned that he just started making money, referencing his six-year, $32.1 million contract signed last summer. With the NBA coaching job off the table, Hurley’s focus is now on attempting to pull off a three-peat with UConn.
The Lakers reportedly made a compelling case for Hurley to take the head coaching job, and he traveled to California to meet with team officials. However, UConn made an offer to Hurley that would make him one of the highest-paid NCAA coaches, leading him to decide to stay put with the Huskies. The Lakers’ search for a new head coach will continue, as they look to replace Darvin Ham following his firing after the team’s first-round playoff loss this year. Hurley’s decision to decline the Lakers’ offer highlights his commitment to UConn and his desire to continue building on the program’s success.
Hurley’s choice to stay at UConn indicates his dedication to the program and his desire to continue the success he has achieved as head coach. By turning down a lucrative offer from the Lakers, Hurley has shown his commitment to the Huskies and the goal of winning a third-straight national championship. With his focus now solely on UConn, Hurley will look to build on the team’s recent success and make history by replicating UCLA’s three-peat in the 1960s and 1970s. The decision to remain at UConn demonstrates Hurley’s loyalty and determination to lead the Huskies to continued success on the basketball court.
Hurley’s success at UConn, including back-to-back national championships, has garnered attention from NBA teams seeking a new head coach. The Lakers saw Hurley as a potential candidate to lead their team, offering him a substantial contract to entice him to leave UConn. However, Hurley ultimately chose to stay with the Huskies, citing financial stability and a desire to continue the program’s winning tradition. While the decision may have surprised some, it reaffirms Hurley’s commitment to UConn and his belief in the team’s potential for future success. As he looks ahead to the upcoming season, Hurley remains focused on leading UConn to new heights and achieving unprecedented success in college basketball.
