"Would have been a thrill" - Dan Hurley ponders feeling of coaching up LeBron James after ditching Lakers job
Dan Hurley pondered what it would be like to coach LeBron James and the LA Lakers after reportedly rejecting their $70 million offer on Monday. Hurley was in a pickle with the option to create history by chasing a third consecutive NCAA title with UConn next season or take up a once-in-a-lifetime coaching job with the Purple and Gold.
Hurley cited the magnitude of the job while explaining what it could have been like to coach LA on Thursday's segment of Dan Le Batard Show:
"It was something I wanted to explore. The opportunity to potentially coach the Lakers and to coach one of the greatest players of all time and to coach another one of the best players in the NBA in AD."
Hurley also mentioned how great it would have been to be on the sidelines where legends like Pat Riley and Phil Jackson have been. He then spoke about the missed chance of coaching LeBron. He recounted they shared the court back when the Lakers star was playing for St. Vincent's St. Mary's, and Hurley was coaching one of his opponents.
"I shared the court with him [LeBron] once," Hurley said. "It would’ve been a thrill to coach him."
Dan Hurley ultimately chose to return to UConn for another season, a decision that he won't likely regret, but still a difficult one as his main goal remains to coach in the NBA one day. An opportunity with the Lakers could have been massive, but it wasn't meant to be.
LeBron James was seemingly one of Dan Hurley's fans
Not being able to sign Dan Hurley was a tough break for the LA Lakers. He was viewed as the next big coach for the long run after Phil Jackson. The Lakers' six-year offer proved their intentions. However, it's not just the Lakers who would have been disappointed with how things turned out.
LeBron James also seemingly was a fan of Hurley's work with UConn. He reportedly was willing to be coached by the potential first-time NBA HC as he considered him a solid long-term candidate who would lead LA beyond his stint.
After UConn's second NCAA title run, James publicly shouted out Hurley for his offensive coaching after he appeared on the Lakers' other coaching candidate, JJ Redick's podcast.
"He's so DAMN GOOD!!! Along with his staff, super creative with their O! Love it," James tweeted on April 19.
James' good friend and podcast co-host Redick is not considered the frontrunner to land the Lakers' job. He will reportedly have his first formal interview with the team. A strong showing could see him at the forefront of the team's coaching search.