UConn basketball coach Dan Hurley decided to turn down the Los Angeles Lakers' six-year, $70 million offer to stay in Storrs, and he reportedly has a deal on the table that is six-years and pays approximately $50 million over the course of the deal, according to Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68.
UConn and Dan Hurley have been working on an extension that was viewed as inevitable until the Lakers started their pursuit of the head coach. Before Hurley's decision came down on Monday, Connecticut Governor, Ned Lamont, commented on the impending decision and made it clear that the intent was to make him the highest-paid college basketball coach.
“He's going through a really tough decision for his family,” Ned Lamont said, via David Borges of CTInsider.com. “We'll make sure he's the top paid college coach. I think it's not about money for him. He's always wanted to do something in the pros. Going for the three-peat in UConn is pretty good too.”
Of course, Hurley turned down the Lakers to stay as the head coach of the UConn basketball program. This is the second time that Hurley turned down a high-profile job from elsewhere since winning his second-straight national championship with the Huskies. The week of winning the national championship, Hurley turned down a lucrative offer from the University of Kentucky after John Calipari departed for Arkansas. There was much more concern regarding Hurley leaving for the Lakers, but it is telling that Hurley turned down two huge basketball brands to stay at UConn to try to make history.
Dan Hurley trying to become college basketball legend
Hurley and UConn still need to iron out the details of his contract extension, but he is staying put in Storrs, CT and going for three national championships in a row. Although there are significant departures from this past years team, there is plenty of talent on the Huskies' roster this season.
The Huskies are losing four of their five starters from the 2024 championship team with Donovan Clingan, Stephon Castle, Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer departing for the NBA. Last week, Alex Karaban withdrew from the NBA Draft, which is a huge boost, and he is likely going to be the best player on this year's UConn team.
There is still some good talent incoming, headlined by Liam McNeeley, who is one of the better recruits in this year's freshman class and is a sharpshooter. Returning sophomores Jaylin Stewart and Solomon Ball should get bigger roles this coming season, and other returners in Hassan Diarra and Samson Johnson should be healthy contributors this season as well.
UConn should be one of the top teams in the preseason poll, the Huskies have a lot of talent and a proven coach at the helm. If Hurley is able to win another national championship this season, he would be just the second coach to win three in a row, joining John Wooden, who won seven in a row from 1967-1973.
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