Dan Hurley turns down Lakers to remain at UConn

UConn coach Dan Hurley will remain with the Huskies to chase a third straight national championship, turning down $70M from the Lakers.

Dan Hurley entertained a reported $70M offer from the Los Angeles Lakers, but ultimately decided to stay as the head coach of the UConn Huskies. Hurley just won back-to-back college basketball national titles, and the 51-year-old will remain in Storrs on a quest for an elusive threepeat, rather than trying his hand at coaching in the NBA ranks.

“I can’t say that I’m surprised,” Locked On UConn host Mark Zanetto said on a live reaction episode. “I am surprised it took this long, although I understand the ramifications of [this decision]. What this means is that UConn is now in position to go into this season even more energized, even more pumped and ready to go for a third straight national title.”

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Hurley flew to Los Angeles to meet with Lakers leadership over the weekend. While he has stated in the past he would like to one day coach in the NBA, it wasn’t meant to be this time around. Instead, Hurley will take a roster that lost four of their five starters from last season and will attempt to do the nearly impossible: win a third straight title for the first time since John Wooden did so with UCLA in the 1970’s.

Forward Alex Karaban is the lone returning starter for the Huskies. However, they did add Michigan transfer Tarris Reed and St. Mary’s transfer Aidan Mahaney, along with incoming freshman Liam McNeeley.

For the Lakers, attention turns to other candidates, including NBA broadcaster JJ Redick and Boston assistant coach Sam Cassell, as the franchise looks to find a new leader to work with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in a quest for another title.

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