The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the sports world Thursday morning as reports indicate they're pursuing UConn basketball coach, Dan Hurley. Nothing is set in stone just yet. However, the belief is he'll take the job. As a result, one well-known insider believes Bruce Pearl would be a great replacement for Hurley as the Huskies head coach.
Pearl is currently the head coach of Auburn and has been a solid coach over the last several years. He has a ton of experience and insider, Jeff Goodman thinks he'd be the perfect fit for the UConn basketball program.
“If Dan Hurley leaves UConn for the Lakers, the guy I would target is Auburn's Bruce Pearl. Grew up in New England, has the personality to follow Dan Hurley, can coach/recruit and his buyout is reasonable.”
Bruce Pearl's current contract doesn't end until after the 2029-30 season. He's not as high-energy as Dan Hurley. However, having Pearl lead the UConn basketball program would be a fun pairing. He's helped improve Auburn's program over the years and is easily one of the better college basketball coaches in the nation.
It'll be interesting to see how it plays out though. UConn basketball is likely doing everything they can to keep Hurley, as he's led the Huskies to back-to-back championships. But only time will tell if Hurley leaves for the Lakers job or not.
Other possible Dan Hurley replacements for UConn basketball
If Dan Hurley leaves then the UConn basketball program should have no problem finding a high-quality replacement. Bruce Pearl would be an excellent option but the Huskies should cast a wide net in their potential coaching search.
A few names that stand out are Steve Pikiell (Rutgers head coach), T.J. Otzelberger (Iowa State head coach), and Billy Donavan (Chicago Bulls head coach). All three have a ton of experience and proven track records and UConn basketball would be wise to consider these three as possible replacements for Dan Hurley.
Pikiell has essentially turned the Rutgers basketball program completely around. He's helped the Scarlet Knights reach the NCAA Tournament twice in four seasons. Additionally, Pikiell played for the Huskies back in the late 80s-early 90s.
As for Otzelberger, he's built up several programs throughout his career. He's been able to turn around programs like South Dakota State, UNLV, and Iowa State. Otzelberger is known for being a great recruiter which would go a long way in finding success coaching the UConn basketball team.
Lastly, Billy Donovan's name pops up nearly every time a prominent college position opens. He's one of the best college basketball coaches, as he's consistently found success everywhere he's been at the college level. Throughout his career, Donovan's made four Final Four appearances and won back-to-back National Championships when he was coaching the Florida Gators.
Whether Dan Hurley remains with the Huskies or not is yet to be determined. But the UConn basketball program will have plenty of options on the table if Hurley does end up taking the Lakers gig.
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