UConn HC Dan Hurley will make final Lakers decision over the weekend: REPORT
UConn Huskies' Dan Hurley is the frontrunner in the Los Angeles Lakers' pursuit of their next coaching role. While JJ Redick was rumored to take up the role initially, Hurley offers a decorated resume of back-to-back championships with Connecticut. The 2024 Naismith, Big East and Sporting News Coach of the Year recently met with the Lakers on Friday.
According to Field of 68's Jeff Goodman, Dan Hurley approached the meeting with openness to make the shift to the big league. However, he will return home and give his decision after the weekend.
Hurley is reportedly intrigued by the opportunity and is keen on making the switch. Moreover, as per Lakers' insider insider Anthony F. Irwin, the franchise is willing to hand out a $100 million offer to the Huskies coach.
During his six years of leading the college program, Dan Hurley has won 141 of his 199 games (70.8% winning games). He joined the institution in 2018 and turned its fate around in 2020. Since then, the program recorded four NCAA Tournament berths and entered the finals thrice.
Leaving UConn could disable Dan Hurley from making history
Parting ways from the NCAA level would mean Hurley could lose a shot at creating history. He has already notched the feat of being the first coach to win back-to-back titles since Florida in 2006 & 07.
Dan Hurley could become just the second coach in NCAA history to clinch a three-peat. Even though it will be nowhere close to UCLA Bruins' 7 straight titles from 1967-73, another title will cement Hurley as the only one with three consecutive titles in the 21st century. Nevertheless, despite his dominance and winning experience, Hurley faces a tough set of challenges this time around.
The UConn Huskies lost a majority of their starters after the 2023-24 season. Replacing the star of the show Donovan Clingan alongside Tisten Newton, Stephon Castle and Cam Spencer will be tough, especially when the Storrs will enter the season with a target on their back.
However, if Hurley chooses to make the switch, coaching the Lakers presents no easy task either. The franchise has failed to make a promising run since their bubble championship in 2020 and might need heavy shakeups to change its recent history.