STORRS, Conn. — UConn and men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley have agreed to a six-year, $50 million contract through the 2029-30 season, nearly a month after he turned down a lucrative offer to coach the Los Angeles Lakers. .
Hurley, who left coaching the famed NBA club to return to the two-time NCAA champions, can also earn more through performance-based incentives, a school statement said. He will be paid $6.375 million next season in addition to his $400,000 annual base salary, which includes compensation for speaking, consulting and media duties.
The deal, which includes a $1 million annual retention bonus, will be covered by increased revenue from ticket sales and donations from the Husky Athletic Fund, the release added. It replaces the six-year, $32.1 million deal reached in June 2023 after Hurley won his first national championship with UConn.
Hurley — 141-58 in six seasons with the Huskies and 292-163 overall entering his 15th as a Division I coach — acknowledged that the Lakers’ six-year, $70 million offer was “obviously tempting.” He was also mentioned as a candidate for Kentucky’s head coaching vacancy after John Calipari left for Arkansas. But Hurley reiterated last month that he belongs at UConn and said in the statement that “it is an honor” to coach and represent the school and is proud of what the program has rebuilt for supporters and fans.
He added: “We will continue to obsessively pursue championships and historic success while continuing to develop great young players. Blue Blood!”
UConn President Radenka Maric called Hurley the best men’s basketball coach in the country and said he was delighted that Hurley will continue to call him home. Athletic director David Benedict praised Hurley and his wife Andrea for dedicating themselves to rebuilding the program and added that the contract recognizes the “immense” effort that produced the results and the dedication it will take for the program to sustain it.
