Dan Hurley Finally Breaks Silence on Why He Rejected Lakers' Head Coaching Job

Dan Hurley has disclosed the rationale behind his decision to decline the Los Angeles Lakers coaching position and stay with UConn.

Andrea Hurley, Dan's wife, expressed her preference for him to remain at UConn, although she was prepared to support him if he chose the Lakers.

Under Hurley's leadership for six years, UConn achieved remarkable success, boasting a record of 141-58 (.709) since 2018, including consecutive national championships and a 68-11 record over the last two seasons.

In an interview with Graham Bensinger for 'In Depth,' Hurley elaborated on his decision to forgo the prestigious NBA job in favor of pursuing a third consecutive NCAA title with the Huskies, citing his desire to continue making a significant impact on his players' lives, a feat he believes is less attainable as an NBA coach.

When questioned about his future aspirations to coach in the NBA, the 51-year-old Hurley admitted uncertainty.

"I don't know. I don't know about that. If you're not going to take the Lakers job, then what job are you going to take," he said.

Hurley followed up on that by saying what makes being a college coach special.

"I love being a part of this transformation for the last point in a young man's life where you can really have a big impact on how their life is going to play out. Like what the man becomes. That, to me, was what I realized that I love about being a college coach that you don't get to do as an NBA coach because that's not the relationship there," he said.

The full interview provides a thorough insight into Hurley's rationale for remaining in college. Despite his internal conflict, he consistently valued the connections he could forge with his players.

He revealed that the hardest aspect of his decision-making was the meeting with his team prior to his in-person discussions with the Lakers.

It seems likely that Hurley will continue in college basketball for the foreseeable future. His choice to decline the Lakers' offer was a significant move, especially if he harbors ambitions of transitioning to the NBA eventually.

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