“Most people think I’m a total maniac”: Dan Hurley addresses public point of view of his on-court persona
Apart from being one of the best coaches in the college basketball world, Dan Hurley is also known for his vivid personality. At UConn, while training his players and engaging with his staff, Hurley is said to have an intensity that is hard to match. He even has a stretch called "Hell-Week" in his practice camp, which was compared to Navy SEAL's training this summer.
Nevertheless, for the fans, the UConn coach is known for his demonstrative, loud and passionate presence on the sidelines. When prompted about the same by journalist Graham Bensinger, Hurley went through the various sides of his personality in the interview released on Friday.
“I'm a pretty normal person, you know,” Hurley said. “I’m intense, obviously, when it comes to work but when it comes to my personal life, I’m actually a pretty calm guy. At times I could be a pretty funny guy and most people would not think that about me. Most people think I’m just a total maniac because of what they see on the sidelines.”
Dan Hurley’s bold personality on the sidelines stems from his passion and love for the game.
The coach has a strict morning routine, revolving around mental, physical and spiritual stimulation, which he follows the entire season. Moreover, he also has a ritual of making two half-court shots on each side of the hoop.
Dan Hurley has the support of second-best fans in college basketball
The UConn Huskies are the back-to-back NCAA champions, the first program to do so since 2007. With that, the Huskies have cultivated one of the best fan bases in college basketball.
In a ranking shared by NCAA correspondent Andy Katz, Hurley’s UConn has the second-best crowd support in the entire Division I basketball circuit, only behind the Kentucky Wildcats.
Dan Hurley’s coaching also garnered offers from the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers this summer. He was the frontrunner to fill the vacancy left by Darvin Ham’s firing.
However, behind his passion for training young talent, Hurley rejected the offer. He was offered a six-year, $70 million contract, which the coach also discussed privately with Lakers front-office members Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss.