Dan Hurley rejects Lakers’ offer, stays at UConn

Dan Hurley has turned down a six-year, $70 million supply from the Los Angeles Lakers, sources instructed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and can return to chase a 3rd straight nationwide title at UConn.

“I’m humbled by this complete expertise,” Hurley mentioned in an announcement launched by the college. “On the finish of the day, I’m extraordinarily happy with the championship tradition we now have constructed at Connecticut. We met as a staff earlier than in the present day’s exercise and our focus proper now’s getting higher this summer season and connecting as a staff as we proceed to pursue championships.”

The Lakers would have made Hurley one of many NBA’s six highest-paid coaches. However earlier than opening talks with the Lakers, Hurley already had a suggestion from UConn to turn into one of many highest-paid NCAA coaches, and people talks will proceed, sources instructed Wojnarowski.

Hurley signed a six-year, $32.1 million cope with UConn after the 2022-23 season. He had the choice of taking up some of the famed franchises in professional sports activities and a possible probability to educate NBA all-time scoring chief LeBron James.

However Hurley in the end selected to remain at UConn, which has gone 68-11 over the previous two title-winning seasons and can attempt to turn into the second program to win three straight males’s nationwide titles. UCLA, the one males’s program to do higher than going back-to-back, received seven NCAA championships in a row from 1967 by 1973.

UConn had not formally introduced Hurley’s resolution as of Monday afternoon, however the university posted an image to social media of Hurley along with his palms within the air, and another post saying the Huskies’ 2 p.m. ET observe was underway.

Assistant coach Luke Murray, who has labored with Hurley at Wagner, Rhode Island and UConn, additionally posted a video of Hurley lifting his arms within the air in celebration of the nationwide title.

“Our MVP Coach is staying in CT,” Gov. Ned Lamont posted on social media. “Now let’s prepare for a #3peat, as a result of Connecticut is aware of champions are constructed right here!”

Hurley instructed Wojnarowski on Sunday that the Lakers made a “compelling case” and offered a “compelling imaginative and prescient” for him to turn into their subsequent coach, however that he loves what he has constructed with the two-time defending nationwide champion Huskies.

Hurley additionally instructed Wojnarowski that he left “extraordinarily impressed” with Lakers VP and GM Rob Pelinka and proprietor Jeanie Buss and had spent Sunday weighing their supply.

After a dogged pursuit of Hurley over the previous weeks, the Lakers will regroup and resume bringing in candidates for interviews with hope of hiring a coach by the NBA draft later this month, sources instructed Wojnarowski.

New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego is predicted to stay amongst Los Angeles’ candidates, and the Lakers might conduct their first formal interview with JJ Redick, who additionally has been linked to the job.

The Lakers’ failed pursuit of Hurley got here 20 years after they equally tried to rent Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski to a record-breaking contract in 2004. Krzyzewski in the end elected to stay at Duke.

After traditionally dominant back-to-back nationwide title seasons, Hurley has emerged as essentially the most coveted coach within the sport after developing a juggernaut that lapped faculty basketball — culminating within the NCAA’s first repeat champion in 17 years and a match efficiency that produced the most important level differential in match historical past — 140 factors.

The potential of UConn profitable a 3rd straight title is current with the return of a preseason top-5 staff, however the Huskies did lose two possible lottery picks (middle Donovan Clingan and guard Stephon Fort) and a first-team All-America level guard (Tristen Newton) to the NBA draft.

Hurley is 141-58 in his six seasons at UConn and 292-163 general in 14 seasons as a collegiate coach — including in his years at Wagner and Rhode Island. He is gone by 4 shedding seasons in that span; his first 12 months at Wagner, his first two at Rhode Island and his first 12 months at UConn.

The Lakers fired coach Darvin Ham after a first-round exit within the Western Convention playoffs. Ham was 94-70 in two seasons, together with a visit to the Western Convention finals in 2023.