Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley looks on during the second half against the Providence Friars at Amica Mutual Pavilion.image captionConnecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley looks on during the second half against the Providence Friars at Amica Mutual Pavilion.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Dan Hurley had one of the toughest decisions of his career this past offseason when the Los Angeles Lakers came calling with a six-year, $70 million offer to become their head coach. Fresh off leading UConn to back-to-back national championships, Hurley was presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to coach one of the most historic franchises in NBA history.
Yet, he ultimately chose to stay with the Huskies, and now, for the first time, he has opened up about why he turned down the Lakers.
In a recent 60 Minutes interview, Hurley and his wife Andrea detailed the thought process behind rejecting the Lakers' offer. The allure of coaching LeBron James, and the bright lights of Los Angeles was undeniable, but in the end, Hurley felt a deeper sense of purpose at the college level.
Question: "How close were you to taking that Lakers job?"
Dan Hurley: "We went back and forth. I mean, there were obviously a lot of positives, and the challenge was exciting. So there were definitely times where you thought you were going."
Question: "This decision to stay at UConn, for both of you, what did it come down to ultimately?"
Andrea Hurley: "A lot. I mean, family, me being comfortable, you're in this crazy mental amazing feeling of just coming off back to back. And you have something like that come up and it's just like, wait. You know?"
Question: "You went out there, you saw the banners and the mystique and the Lakers colors. Didn't sell you."
Andrea Hurley: "I mean, it did. Of course it did. It messed me up for a while because you have, you're coming from this, which is like a dream. And then to a dream job, it was tough. The opportunity was a dream."
Question: "Once you made the decision, could you, out of sight, out of mind, could you just move on?"
Dan Hurley: "Yeah. College coaching compared to the NBA, there's a more of a sense of purpose to it. You know, there just is because of the impact you can have on a 17-year-old and 19-year-old. What you can mean for them in their life is something, you know, that you don't get in pro sports the same way."
"You're the last group of people that are going to really teach these kids a lot of what they need to learn, to take, to be successful, to make them tougher, to make them better, just to prepare them for what life's going to be like. And it's not always going to be easy."
"This is like top level of sports. UConn basketball is one of the best known basketball brands in the world. The way that we play, the caliber of our play, the way our players are flourishing in their post-UConn careers, I mean, the way we do it is special. Why would you want to leave it?"
Andrea Hurley: "I mean, he prides himself on, you know, success and when we lose a game in college it's borderline unbearable. I can't imagine going to the next level and having to play all those games and losing it wouldn't be great."
Dan Hurley: "Just the volume of games and I think you know for us I think the program and the players what we do it's so personal to us it's like such a huge part of our identity. Those games that we play they feel like they're a reflection of us in a lot of ways. So when we struggle or when we fail, we don't like it."
The Lakers ultimately hired JJ Redick, who signed a four-year deal, and so far, the move has worked out brilliantly. The Lakers are currently second in the Western Conference with a 40-22 record, and Redick is emerging as a legitimate Coach of the Year candidate.
His ability to connect with the team and implement a modern, efficient system has rejuvenated the franchise, proving that the Lakers rebounded well after Hurley’s rejection.
Although UConn basketball is not at the same dominant level as the last two seasons, they remain a top program with a 22-9 record, sitting third in the Big East. The Huskies are still contenders for a historic three-peat in the NCAA Tournament, which begins in a week.
The last time a team won three straight national championships was from 1967 to 1973, when John Wooden’s legendary UCLA teams won seven consecutive titles. Hurley now has the chance to lead UConn to one of the most remarkable achievements in modern college basketball.
While Hurley staying at UConn was a massive win for college basketball, the Lakers have no regrets about how things turned out. Redick has quickly earned the trust of the locker room, and Los Angeles is thriving under his leadership.
For Hurley, staying in college basketball was the right decision, and for the Lakers, they found the right coach to lead them forward.
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