"My players will accept the hard coaching from me": UConn HC Dan Hurley once described his unfathomable trust with players
Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies are gearing up for a potentially historic year in the 2024-25 college basketball season. Hurley and the Huskies will enter the coming season with a chance to mount the first three-peat in nearly 50 years, which will need tremendous effort from both the coaching staff and the players.
In a press conference after UConn's 77-52 win over Illinois to seal its second straight trip to the Final Four in March 2024, Hurley highlighted the effort and dedication his crew brings to get the best out of his players. That, in turn, leads to more trust from the players to be coached more intensely.
"You invest every second that you can in them that the NCAA allows, both on the court and off the court," Hurley said. "Truly, you just pour everything that you have into them. Your family is intertwined with your program and I think players sense that, they feel that," he added.
"My players will accept the hard coaching from me and our staff because they know how much we love them. They know how much we're trying to prepare them, toughen them up, teach them, help them grow as men, develop new skills quickly, all those things that are going to add value to their life," Hurley followed.
One of the instances that showcase Dan Hurley's commitment to his players is his rejection of the coaching offer from the Los Angeles Lakers.
Despite an NBA head coaching role being his dream job, Hurley opted to stay with the Huskies in light of what he has built and plans to offer in the future.
Dan Hurley used the Lakers' offer to get his payers to believe in UConn's program
Even though Hurley had informed the Lakers representatives and Huskies' athletic department about his decision, he used his players' unawareness to get a solid commitment out of them.
He addressed the 2024-25 roster in the Huskies facility and pretended to give them the power of decision on his NBA switch.
"That's why I like coaching guys this age. They're dumber than NBA players. I wouldn't have been able to pull that stuff off [in the league]. But I got a great commitment from the group and I told them," the coach revealed his strategy in a FOX Sports interview.
Ultimately, the entire crew gave in, promising to give their best and make Dan Hurley's return to the program worthwhile.