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While UConn basketball head coach Dan Hurley has been in rumors around NBA interest, he is focused on bringing another national championship to the program. Despite the UConn basketball coach in Hurley known for his outbursts on the sideline, the energy is what led them to a title in 2023, as he would even say he feels the current team resembles that roster.
Hurley would speak with Jon Rothstein and was asked about his impressions on the roster thus far heading into the 2025-26 season, with the coach having high expectations. He would flat out say that this construction feels “more like the '23 team” when the Huskies won the national championship, which was the first of the back-to-back.
“I think it's a lot for me, more like the '23 team, you know, where I do think it's a strength in numbers,” Hurley said. “I think the depth is what's going to make it, make it potentially a championship team or a special season for us, where, like that battle with our top 10 players, you know, you're going to have to do the things that we didn't do last year, or else you're just not going to stay on the court. So we, obviously, had major defensive issues last year. We had rebounding issues at times.”
Dan Hurley sees similarities between the team at UConn he's about to coach and the team that won the 2023 National Title.
🎧 https://t.co/c9JLel2QnF (Apple)
🎧 https://t.co/EsZxIkca32 (Spotify) pic.twitter.com/ZOfQlwN6Ci— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) August 14, 2025
UConn basketball's Dan Hurley on the requirements to play
In the team's offseason, the UConn basketball program got a commitment from Silas Demary Jr. after declaring for the NBA Draft, as Hurley mentions him being a key part of the upcoming season.
“You know, I think, obviously, the health and some of the things that we tried to do at point guard this year,” Hurley said. “I think with, you know, with [Silas] Demary [Jr.] and Malachi Smith, and Alec Millender and Jacob Furphy, who's got some ability to play over there at [six-foot-five] plus.”
Hurley would also speak about the stern coaching that will happen this season, as he expressed that if the defense and rebounding aren't up to par, they are “not going to play.”
“I think we can rectify a lot of our defense and rebounding,” Hurley said. “And I think the quality we've got at point guard can solve some of those things from last year, because if you don't defend for us this year, or rebound the ball the way UConn has built this championship identity, you're not going to play. And last year, players got minutes, you know, that didn't guard anywhere near the level that we needed them to guard at.”
The Huskies are looking to improve after finishing with a 24-11 record, 14-6 in conference.
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