University of Connecticut basketball coach Dan Hurley, who guided the Huskies to consecutive national titles, rejected an offer to join the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ESPN and other reports.
He confirmed he would remain on the show in a statement to NBC News.
“I’m thrilled with this whole experience,” Hurley said. “Ultimately, I am extremely proud of the championship culture we have built at Connecticut. We got to know each other as a team before practice today and our focus now is to improve this summer and connect as a team as we continue to chase championships.”
UConn Director of Athletics David Benedict said he is “thrilled” that Hurley has decided to continue leading the Huskies.
“He helped return our men’s basketball program to the pinnacle of the sport, including back-to-back NCAA championships, and we are grateful for his loyalty to UConn,” he said in a statement. continued leadership on and off the court at UConn. He will continue to bring great pride to Husky fans everywhere as we work toward a three-peat.”
The Lakers coaching position, one of the most glamorous and high-profile positions in North American sports, opened up in May when the franchise fired Darvin Ham after two seasons in the role.
Despite having stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Los Angeles was eliminated in the first round of this season’s playoffs. The Lakers reached the Western Conference Finals the year before.
While It’s rare for college coaches to succeed in the NBA, if Hurley had accepted the job, the Lakers would have secured one of the biggest names in amateur basketball history.
Hurley is the brother of Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley, who as a player led the duke to three Final Four appearances and two national championships. Their father is legendary prep coach Bob Hurley Sr., who mentored Santo Antônio College from Jersey City to 28 New Jersey state titles.
Although Dan Hurley was a solid player at Seton Hall and a successful Division I coach, he was arguably the least known of those Hurleys until your remarkable run in recent championships.
He won 292 games as a coach at Wagner, Rhode Island and UConn. Hurley had a 68-11 record over the last two seasons, which ended with net-cutting glory.
Much of the basketball world was surprised by Hurley apparently turning down the Lakers’ offer reportedly worth US$70 million according to ESPN.
Lakers fans were already preparing for the dark days to come with their rival, the Boston Celtics, just two wins away from winning the title. Larry O’Brien Trophy.
If Boston can beat the Dallas Mavericks twice more in this series, the Celts will have 18 NBA titles. They are now tied with the Lakers for the most league championships.
With Hurley off the table, the club can now focus on signing a former NBA player. Atlético reported Last week, former Duke star and ESPN broadcaster JJ Redick was the frontrunner for the role.
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