Dan Hurley is staying home.
The 51-year-old head coach entertained a lucrative offer to leave the UConn Huskies to head across the country and coach LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers, but ultimately decided to return to Storrs and chase an elusive college basketball threepeat, which has not happened since John Wooden at UCLA.
Hurley reportedly turned down an offer from LA in the ballpark of six years and $70M, and instead will remain at UConn – where he has an extension offer in the range of six years and $50M, according to Jeff Goodman.
Hurley turned down a chance to coach the Kentucky Wildcats earlier this offseason, and now has rejected not only his first offer to be an NBA head coach, but a chance to coach perhaps the biggest basketball brand on the planet, and work with two future Hall of Famers in James and Davis.
The Lakers offer was for 6 years and around $70 million, per sources.
Hurley has elected to remain at UConn and has a 6-year deal worth approximately $50 million on the table, source told @TheFieldOf68. https://t.co/D93l8YCRmT
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) June 10, 2024
For UConn, Hurley’s return means the roster the staff worked tirelessly to build will remain intact. Alex Karaban, who returned to chase a third straight title despite serious NBA draft attention, will now stay put in Storrs and should be in consideration as a preseason All-American.
Transfer portal additions Tarris Reed (Michigan) and Aidan Mahaney (St. Mary’s) will remain in the mix as well, along with incoming freshman Liam McNeeley.
Hurley’s ties to the east coast are one of many factors that kept him in Storrs, and a chance to lead UConn to another title and cement his legacy as one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history awaits him heading into the 2024-25 season.