UConn coach Dan Hurley explains what makes his “teams so great” while sharing his reasons to turn down Lakers job
Dan Hurley's championship success comes from his intensity and culture-sparking abilities. He believes that it gives him an edge over other D1 coaches and is something he can translate to other sports as well. So, when Graham Bensinger inquired about his lifelong dream of coaching in the NBA, Hurley voiced his sentiments about the goal.
Explaining his turned-down opportunity with the LA Lakers, Hurley touched on the different tendencies and cultures within the NBA and college basketball. Starting off with players' relationship with their coaches, he pointed at teams' ability to practice together, the coach's power to push his players and other things.
"I don't that that is it," Hurley said. "Those guys have a different relationship with their coach. I feel like where I'm at my best as a coach is the atmosphere that I create in practice. I believe that that gives us a competitive advantage over the people that we play against. It's like hell week for SEALS or something.
"The way that we practice, the intensity, the pace, the competitiveness of it, the stress we put the players under. I think that's what makes my teams so great here in college," Hurley added.
Dan Hurley believes that a transition to the NBA would have left him without his biggest assets to form a championship team, resulting in his decision to stay with the UConn Huskies.
Dan Hurley didn't want to pursue basketball after college
Dan Hurley's playing time in Seton Hall (1991-96) saw him make several Big East's top-20 lists. He made the club once in total points and three-pointers (1994-95), twice in steals (1994-96) and thrice in assists (1992/1994-96).
However, when he looked back at his five-year stretch, all he felt was displeasure as he explained.
"I was too beaten up at that point," Hurley said. "I was not in love with the game that way from a playing standpoint," he added.
However, Hurley delved into the world of coaching during his later years of his playing tenure. Moreover, his personal situation lifted his spirits further to pursue the career.
His father, Bob Hurley, was a renowned high school coach, while his brother Bobby Hurley had carved out a successful college (Duke) and NBA career. Moreover, he had already met Andrea Hurley, which enabled him to dedicate his time fully to developing as a coach.