“They are your family”: Dan Hurley and wife Andrea emotional after ex-UConn star Donovan Clingan’s special message
UConn coach Dan Hurley and his wife, Andrea, were touched by the special video message sent by Portland Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan.
The power couple appeared on 'Good Morning America' before the Big East Media Day at the Madison Square Garden.
During the interview with Robin Roberts, Dan and Andrea Hurley watched the surprise video sent by the former Huskies slotman and two-time champion.
He wished his former coach good luck for the 2024-25 college basketball season. Clingan also thanked Dan Hurley for helping him develop into the player he is right now.
“Coach Hurley, I just want to say good luck this year,” Clingan said. “Best of luck. Try to go for three in a row. I know you’re gonna do it. You have a great shot. I just want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me to get to this point.”
Clingan's video message struck a chord with the couple. They were emotional after the footage ended and Andrea Hurley told Roberts how his husband treated his players.
"You know how hard they work. They're your family," Andrea Hurley said.
Dan Hurley, who will aim for his third consecutive national title this season, shared the joy of being a college coach, which is to positively impact a young man's life by setting an example.
Dan Hurley shared his thoughts on picking UConn over the L.A. Lakers
UConn coach Dan Hurley revealed that it was more of a personal decision to stay with the Huskies this season and turned down the multimillion-dollar offer by the LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers.
Hurley spoke about the benefits of staying on the East Coast with his family and doing what he loves to do—coaching young players and developing them into future basketball stars.
“It wasn’t anything negative about the opportunity to coach in the NBA,” Hurley said. “It’s just how much you love where you are and the people that you get to do it with.”
Andrea Hurley disclosed that the decision was finalized through a text group chat and the choice was to "stay or leave." Everyone in the group texted "stay," making the decision to remain with the Huskies final.
Dan Hurley also noted he enjoys the close community atmosphere in college. He won't trade it for anything else.
The UConn Huskies will open their three-peat bid against Sacred Heart University on Nov. 6 at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut.
Will Dan Hurley lead the UConn Huskies to their third consecutive title in the 2024-25 college basketball season? Let's know your views in the comments section.