Dan Hurley is opening up after choosing to stay at UConn instead of coaching the Lakers.
The reigning two-time national champion coach of the Huskies joined “The Dan Le Batard Show” for his first interview since Monday, when he rejected a six-year, $70 million offer from the storied NBA franchise.
“One of the worst takes I’ve heard is this was a leverage play by me to improve my situation at UConn,” Hurley said. “I don’t need leverage here. We’ve won back-to-back national championships at this place.”
One of the major storylines regarding Hurley’s decision was his contract, with reports circulating that he intentionally considered NBA candidacies to catalyze a raise in Storrs.
Hurley, though, referred to that idea as a “conspiracy” and “lazy.”
On the program, Hurley said he’s had a “contract in place for a couple of weeks” and mentioned that the “financial part in terms of salary has been done for a while.”
Hurley signed a six-year, $32.1 million contract extension after winning his first title in 2023.
In the meantime, Hurley noted that he’s still “not comfortable with” contractual components such as NIL and staff salaries.
Regarding a timetable for a possible move to the pros, Hurley said he first talked to his agent June 3 about other job possibilities, and referred to his choice as “gut-wrenching” — even entering the morning of June 10, when he ultimately chose to stay at the college level.
In advance of UConn’s scheduled practice Monday, Hurley remarked that his situation “had become a circus” and “was weighing on me and my wife and my two sons.”
As for the appeal of the Lakers, Hurley mentioned the allure of the franchise’s past coaches and having both LeBron James and Anthony Daivs.
“It was something I wanted to potentially explore,” Hurley said.
Additionally, Hurley mentioned he didn’t talk to James throughout the process, but claimed it “would have been a thrill to coach him.”
While t’s still have to be crossed on Hurley’s new deal, the coach can now focus on aiming for a three-peat, which hasn’t happened in college basketball since UCLA accomplished it in 1973.
