Molly Qerim slams Stephen A. Smith report

Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim offered conflicting reports about the role Danny Hurley’s wife played in him turning down a head coaching offer from the Los Angeles Lakers.

In the wake of JJ Redick being named the next head coach of the Lakers Monday afternoon, Smith reiterated that Hurley was their first choice Tuesday morning on First Take . Not only was he their first choice, but Smith claims the Lakers thought the UConn men’s basketball coach was on his way to Los Angeles with plans of accepting their offer.

“Allow me to tell you what sources in L.A. told me,” Smith told Qerim on First Take . “They thought they had a deal with Danny Hurley. They thought that he had flown out to L.A. and just like Kendrick Perkins and others said, ‘Don’t let him out of the building,’ they had every intention of Danny Hurley signing on with them and being the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. And whether it’s true or not, I can assure you there are people within the Lakers organization who believe that Mrs. Hurley made that decision.”

“That’s not fair,” Qerim quickly pushed back while shaking her head. “That’s not fair, don’t put that on her.”

The immediate pushback from Qerim appeared to leave Smith stunned, prompting him to say, “That’s not a bad thing!” before asking, “How’s that not fair?”

“I just don’t think that’s factual,” Qerim answered.

“We listen to a plethora of people who are happily married talk about how profoundly important their spouses’ feelings are,” Smith added. “That’s all.”

Qerim, a UConn graduate and longtime Huskies fan, reiterated that she doesn’t think Smith’s report is accurate.

“They do!” Smith said definitively, referring to the Lakers.

One day before news of the Lakers’ interest broke, Hurley appeared on The Mike Francesa Podcast and the UConn coach admitted he would like to go to the NBA. Francesa guessed it would have to be in the Northeast, assuming Hurley’s wife wouldn’t be interested in moving across the country.

“She’s the boss,” Hurley said. “But who knows.”

Hurley undoubtedly sought and valued his wife’s opinion about the Lakers’ offer and the prospect of moving to Los Angeles before turning it down . But there’s a difference in saying Hurley’s wife “made that decision” vs Hurley’s wife was part of the decision.

[ First Take ]

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