Hours after Lakers' $70 million offer rejection, UConn coach Dan Hurley & brother Bob Hurley go live recruiting at NBA Top 100 camp
UConn Huskies coach Dan Hurley has had the college basketball and NBA world on strings for the past few days with his much-publicized flirtation with the vacant LA Lakers job. He turned the six-year, $70 million job down on Monday to much fanfare in Storrs.
Hours after the Huskies coach opted to remain as coach of UConn to chase an unprecedented three-peat, he was on the road on recruitment business at the NBA Top 100 camp alongside his brother, Bobby Hurley, who is coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils.
The Hurley brothers were in attendance at Tuesday morning's first game, which saw several high school prospects impress in front of top college basketball coaches. Acaden Lewis and Malachi Moreno were the pick of the bunch, with both scoring 23 points.
Dan Hurley and Bobby Hurley share special bond
Bobby Hurley was the better-known player, starring for the Duke Blue Devils between 1989 and 1993, winning the national championship twice and being named an All-American. However, it was Dan Hurley who would become the better coach.
They grew up playing against each other, and it helped that they had a basketball background with a famous father like Bob Hurley Sr., who had a 45-year coaching stint for St. Anthony with the brothers playing under him.
The two-time national championship-winning coach hired his brother Bobby to his staff at both Wagner and Rhode Island before the latter left to start his own coaching career.
During an interview with The New York Post, Sun Devils coach Bobby Hurley was full of praise for his brother after winning the national championship, hailing Dan for the impact on his career.
"It was awesome because we grew up together, we’re so close," Bobby Hurley said. "We started in the profession together, and I had the privilege of working for him for three years, and just to see what he’s been able to do is special as a brother, someone that wants nothing but the best for him.
"To see him do it at this level, and now that we both captured national championships, it’s been awesome, it’s kind of down full circle that we both now could share something that we know is really special."
When the UConn Huskies traveled to Glendale, Arizona, to play in the Final Four of the 2024 March Madness, Dan Hurley was quick to cheekily praise his brother for sabotaging other teams' preparations.
"Obviously the time I'll spend with him the next couple of days, you know him sabotaging these other programs for me at his site there is going to give me a distinct advantage, too, which I appreciate from big bro," Hurley said.
Dan Hurley's career has gone from strength to strength ever since he parted ways with his brother, winning two national championships and becoming the target for the prestigious Lakers job.