Why Dan Hurley turned down Lakers’ $70M supply to remain at UConn
Dan Hurley needs to see his imaginative and prescient with the Huskies by means of.
Hurley, who turned down a six-year, $70 million contract supply from the Lakers on Monday after days of hypothesis, is staying put at UConn as a result of he “finally couldn’t stroll away from an opportunity to make historical past and pursue a 3rd straight NCAA title” following the Huskies’ nationwide championship wins in 2023 and 2024, in accordance with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“As swept away as Hurley grew to become by the Lakers courtship and imaginative and prescient for him, he finally couldn’t stroll away from an opportunity to make historical past and pursue a 3rd straight NCAA title. Even earlier than Lakers talks, Hurley already had a UConn supply to turn out to be one in all highest-paid NCAA coaches and people talks will proceed, per sources,” Wojnarowski posted Monday afternoon on X.
The NBA insider echoed these sentiments Monday on “SportsCenter,” noting the opportunity of chasing a 3rd straight title, which might mark the primary time a crew has received three in a row since John Wood’s UCLA groups received seven championships between 1966 and 1973.
“The timing of this, with a crew that’s a preseason top-five, Alex Karaban, his best-returning participant, returning to high school, pulling out of the draft, lots of elements,” Wojnarowski mentioned on “SportsCenter.”
Hurley, 51, grew to become a late entrant to the Lakers head teaching search Thursday following weeks of buzz that former player-turned-ESPN analyst JJ Redick was a favourite for the job.
The New Jersey native and his household frolicked with Lakers brass on Friday as he mulled the “once-in-a-lifetime supply.”
“The NBA has at all times been an ambition of Dan Hurley’s and the possibility to speak to the Lakers, to be provided the Lakers job and actually sit with them on a imaginative and prescient of what it regarded like, this was not a straightforward choice for him,” Wojnarowski mentioned Monday.
Hurley has a contract extension looming, one thing he had been in talks with UConn about previous to the Lakers’ transient courtship.
In the meantime, the Lakers “will regroup and resume bringing in candidates for interviews with hope of hiring a coach by Draft,” Wojnarowski reported Monday, including, “James Borrego is predicted to stay a part of group and Lakers might do their first formal interview with JJ Redick.”
The Lakers parted methods with coach Darvin Ham in Could following two seasons.
