The Los Angeles Lakers dominated headlines this past weekend when their pursuit of UConn head coach Dan Hurley was made public.
Hurley signed a six-year extension with the Huskies last year but was intrigued enough to listen to the Lakers, who are in desperate need of a new head coach. Although there seemed to be momentum building for Hurley to relocate to Los Angeles, he announced his decision to stay at UConn after all.
The Lakers tried to woo him with a reported six-year, $70 million deal but it wasn’t enough to leave a program he brought back to prominence.
Shortly after the decision was made, Hurley issued a statement on the series of events.
“I am humbled by this entire experience,” Hurley said. “At the end of the day, I am extremely proud of the championship culture we have built at Connecticut. We met as a team before today’s workout and our focus right now is on getting better this summer and connecting as a team as we continue to pursue championships.”
UConn Director of Athletics David Benedict also offered his thoughts on Hurley’s decision to stay:
“We thrilled that Dan Hurley has made the decision to stay at UConn and continue building upon our championship tradition. He has helped return out men’s basketball program back to the pinnacle of the sport, including back-to-back NCAA Championships, and we’re grateful for his loyalty to UConn.
“We look forward to Dan’s 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.
“As we navigate the rapidly evolving college athletics landscape, your donations, more than ever, will be necessary to sustain our success. The continued financial committment from loyal and new donors to both departmental operations and NIL activities, such as the Husky Athletic fund and Bleeding Blue for Good, will be paramount to remain competitive on the national stage.”
It’s a gut punch for the Lakers, who looked well on their way to hiring the best collegiate men’s basketball coach and now must turn toward their previously reported candidates.
Dan Hurley flipped decision to join Lakers but not based on money
Hurley seemed genuinely torn on the decision to leave UConn for Los Angeles, and ultimately chose to stay close to home. However, he reportedly flipped his original decision to join the Lakers but it wasn’t driven by money.
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