Here are three factors Dan Hurley is staying at UConn

Dan Hurley is staying at UConn. After winning back-to-back national championships famous Husky coaches of the men’s basketball team on on Monday turned down the opportunity to join the Los Angeles Lakers to join them, and nearly triple his earnings during the process.

John Henry Smith11/06/2024

Published June 11, 2024 at 12:59 PM EDT

Aman Kidwai is a longtime writer for The UConn blog offers three reasons as to why the Lakers report of a six-year $70-million contract wasn’t enough to draw Coach Hurley into the NBA.

1. The Lakers aren’t the best team for Hurley

The Los Angeles Lakers are tied with the all-time NBA record having won 17 titles. But the past three seasons haven’t gone well, even when superstar Lebron James in the team. They’ve finished just seventh in the Basketball’s Western Conference during that span. With James who is 39 and also a possible releasee, Kidwai said Hurley would have walked into the middle of a difficult situation.

“You’ve got executives that meddle, you’ve got an ownership that meddles,” Kidwai told the media. “And then also a star player [Lebron James] that you have to deal with who might make you draft his son [USC Trojan guard Bronny James] with your first-round pick.”

Kidwai believes Hurley would be more content in an NBA team made up of young players.

“I think he’d want more of a situation [where] you can build something from the ground up,” Kidwai stated.

2. Total control of UConn

In UConn, Dan Hurley has the kind of control Kidwai believes he would never achieve on every NBA team.

“Dan Hurley has complete control of the situation top to bottom and runs the program in his vision.” Kidwai told the media.

3. Family and regional connections

Dan Hurley’s ties with Northeastern United States run deep. He was raised within New Jersey, where his father, Bob Sr., was a renowned high school basketball coach. In New Jersey that Hurley became a pro basketball player as well as a college basketball superstar and was a head coach for the first time. A large portion of him and Andrea’s wife’s circle of friends and family connections remain within the Northeast.

“We know that he had to plead with his wife to move to Rhode Island for the URI [University of Rhode Island] job,” Kidwai told the media. “The thought to move them across the nation? It sounded as if something they would not wish to undertake, something that was brought up during the time Hurley received an inquiry from Kentucky earlier in the offseason.”

A win for UConn…for now

Kidwai expressed her belief that Hurley’s choice to remain an enormous victory for UConn.

“They have a coach who could be coaching anywhere, but chooses to be right there in Storrs,” Kidwai explained. “All of the happy feelings and momentum that UConn fans had one week ago, before they ever knew about any of this, it’s all back there and just a little bit stronger because now fans have kind of reckoned with the possibility of things getting shaken up.”

Kidwai warned the public that UConn as well as Husky fans all over the world should be ready to be “shaken up” by NBA interest in every off-season for the next few years while Hurley is in Storrs. In the meantime, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has said that the state will ensure Hurley is the highest-paid college coach, if he remains at the Huskies.

“I think he will be an attractive option for the NBA, but I don’t think it’s going to be just any NBA team or any NBA job,” Kidwai stated. “And I, and I do not think it’s in his mind for him to move to the NBA like that is, as quickly as feasible. But, definitely, it’ll remain a constant worry.”

Be civil

The story’s funding comes mostly by the Connecticut Public’s membersthey are viewers, listeners and readers who are adamant about fact-based journalism and reliable information.

We hope their support will encourage you to contribute to ensure that we continue to share stories that inspire, educate and encourage you and your neighbours. As a public media that is based on community support operation, Connecticut Public has relied on donations for over 50 years.

Your contribution today will enable us to carry on this mission in your name. Give today at any amount and join 50k members who are working to build an improved Connecticut that is more civilized to work, live, and play.