Sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that UCONN Huskies head coach Dan Hurley has turned down the Los Angeles Lakers six-year $70 million offer and will return to coach college basketball. The Lakers would have made him one of the six highest-paid coaches.
With Hurley returning to the Huskies, they will have a chance to three-peat as college basketball champions. That is something that has not been achieved since the UCLA Bruins. Dan Hurley returning to college basketball is great news for the sport. Had he gone to the Lakers, it would have been devasting to the sport.
Earlier on Monday, former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham returned to the Milwaukee Bucks to be an assistant coach under Doc Rivers. It has not been a very good day for the Lakers organization.
College Basketball Fans React To the Dan Hurley Returning To the UCONN Huskies News
There was a lot of reaction on Twitter right away to this news. This is what college basketball fans had to say about Hurley returning to the Huskies:
It’s almost like Dan Hurley leaked all of this through a trusted media source (who literally wrote a book on his dad) to secure himself an even bigger contract at UConn. Woj gets a big scoop, the Lakers get to say we tried, and Hurley gets a huge raise. Win. Win. Win. https://t.co/TYWvLS7c1J
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) June 10, 2024
Dan Hurley turning down $70 million guaranteed from the Lakers to stay at UConn. Wow. Good for him.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) June 10, 2024
Dan Hurley has rejected the Lakers and Kentucky in the span of 2 months to continue to be the Head Coach of the University of Connecticut Men’s Basketball team. pic.twitter.com/yBovAboMbx
— Storrs South (@UConn6thBorough) June 10, 2024
One of the fans also makes a good point about Hurley turning down the Kentucky Wildcats job when John Calipari left for the Arkansas Razorbacks. There was no way that Dan Hurley was going to leave the Huskies for them.
He has a great thing going in the Big East Conference right now. The Huskies last season in the Big East Conference beat the Marquette Golden Eagles three times a season ago. One of those wins for UCONN came in the Big East Title game.
Marquette and head coach Shaka Smart will be one of the biggest challengers in the conference next season. Also, St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino has to be happy that Hurley is returning.
