
The Los Angeles Lakers have once again been rejected by a high-profile college coach. Two decades after failing in their pursuit of Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, the Lakers have also failed to convince UConn’s Dan Hurley to make a leap to the NBA.
Hurley emerged as the Lakers’ preferred target for their head coach vacancy in recent days, and the franchise reportedly gave him a six-year, $70 million contract offer this past weekend. While Hurley entertained the Lakers’ offer, he ended up deciding to stay with the Huskies.
“I am humbled by this entire experience,” Hurley said in a statement released by UConn. “At the end of the day, I am extremely proud of the championship culture we have built at Connecticut. We met as a team before today’s workout and our focus right now is getting better this summer and connecting as a team as we continue to pursue championships.”
Hurley is reportedly engaged in talks with UConn about a new contract that would make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the NCAA.
Since being hired by UConn in 2018, Hurley transformed the Huskies into one of the best basketball programs in the country. After back-to-back Round of 64 exits in his first two seasons, Hurley led the program to two consecutive NCAA titles. He will now try to make UConn the first school to win three straight titles since 1973. The only school to do it is UCLA, which won seven consecutive titles.
The Lakers are now expected to cycle back to other candidates including former NBA player and ESPN analyst JJ Redick and New Orleans Pelicans’ assistant James Borrego.