Former Syracuse basketball head coach Jim Boeheim dropped a huge truth bomb about UConn basketball head coach Dan Hurley.
Here's what Boeheim had to say about Hurley turning down the Los Angeles Lakers head coaching position from an interview on the Dan Patrick Show on Thursday.
“I love Dan Hurley, he's a great college coach,” Boeheim said. “I think it's sometimes hard for some coaches to go from college to the NBA, it's a different mindset. You know you're not yelling at LeBron James and Anthony Davis five times a week, you know they're not listening to that. And I think Danny's great, he's tough, and he gets on his players and that works in college, and he's figured it out.”
“He's the best college coach, I'm happy for him that he went back, I think he's better suited in college,” Boeheim continued. “You know Mike Krzyzewski made a decision many years ago that he was a better suited college coach and it worked out pretty good for him.”
While it's clear that Hurley is a great, if not the best, college basketball coach, winning two straight titles with UConn, Boeheim may have a point about whether or not Hurley's coaching style would translate to the NBA.
Would UConn basketball head coach Dan Hurley have succeeded in the NBA?
Hurley is notorious for his high-intensity coaching style and demanding his players give him their maximum effort 100% of the time. Especially for a team like the Lakers that has an aging superstar who himself is notorious for clashing with his head coaches in LeBron James and an injury-prone Anthony Davis who may require some more rest and load management, the Lakers' job could have been a difficult transition to the NBA for the UConn basketball mentor.
However, Boeheim's skepticism may be a bit harsh. The Lakers position, especially now with the Bronny James dynamic, was going to be a challenge for anyone, not just Hurley. Hurley's no-nonsense coaching style could be very effective for a younger, up-and-coming team that needs more active coaching and player development instead of a team that already has established stars.
College coaches transitioning to the NBA have had success in the past. A notable example of this is when current Boston Celtics executive Brad Stevens made the jump from Butler to become the Celtics head coach. While he never won a title as a head coach, Stevens made the postseason seven straight seasons as head coach of the Celtics before shifting to a front-office role.
Regardless of whether or not Hurley would have succeeded in his hypothetical role as Lakers head coach, or head coach of NBA team, he made the decision to return to the college ranks and try for a three-peat with UConn basketball. The Huskies will once again be one of the favorites to win the NCAA Tournament, in no small part because of how effective of a college coach Hurley is.
Like Boeheim said, right now, Hurley is “the best college coach.” He's just fine where he is at UConn.
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