UConn’s Dan Hurley Turns Down $70M Offer to Become Lakers Coach

The Lakers‘ search for a new coach will take a little longer, with University of Connecticut men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley Monday turning down a lucrative offer to take over the team and join the NBA coaching ranks.

ESPN reported that the Lakers had extended Hurley a six-year, $70 million offer to become the team’s coach. His name surfaced over the past week as a major candidate for the job, with Laker star LeBron James singing his praises on social media and Magic Johnson endorsing him for the post during an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

Hurley, however, opted to stay put at Connecticut, where the team will attempt next season to win a third consecutive national championship.

“I am humbled by this entire experience,” Hurley said in a statement Monday. “At the end of the day, I am extremely proud of the championship culture we have built at Connecticut. We met as a team before today’s workout and our focus right now is getting better this summer and connecting as a team as we continue to pursue championships.”

UConn Athletic Director David Benedict, in a statement reported by the Hartford Courant, said the university is “thrilled that Dan Hurley has made the decision to stay at UConn and continue building upon our championship tradition.”

“He has helped return our men’s basketball program back to the pinnacle of the sport, including back-to-back NCAA Championships, and we’re grateful for his loyalty to UConn,” Benedict said. “We look forward to Dan’s continued leadership on and off the court at UConn. He will continue to bring great pride to Husky fans everywhere as we work toward a three-peat.”

The Lakers have been seeking a new coach since early May when the team fired Darvin Ham, days after being eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs by the Denver Nuggets.

Ham led the Lakers for two seasons, compiling a 90-74 record.

Updated at 3:09 p.m. Monday, June 10, 2024

City News Service contributed to this article.