Hurley spurns Lakers' offer, to stay with UConn

Dan Hurley has turned down a six-year, $70 million offer from the Los Angeles Lakers, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and will return to chase a third straight national title at UConn.

“I am humbled by this entire experience,” Hurley said in a statement released by the school. “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.”

The Lakers would have made Hurley one of the NBA’s six highest-paid coaches. But before opening talks with the Lakers, Hurley already had an offer from UConn to become one of the highest paid NCAA coaches, and those talks will continue, sources told Wojnarowski.

Gov. Ned Lamont, who was in contact with Hurley throughout the weekend, told reporters Monday that the state will “make sure he’s the top paid college coach.”

Hurley signed a six-year, $32.1 million deal with UConn after the 2022-23 season. He had the option of taking over one of the most famed franchises in pro sports and a potential chance to coach NBA all-time scoring leader LeBron James.

But Hurley ultimately chose to stay at UConn, which has gone 68-11 over the past two title-winning seasons and will try to become the second program to win three straight men’s national titles. UCLA, the only men’s program with a better record, won seven NCAA championships in a row from 1967 through 1973.

UConn confirmed Hurley’s decision with a statement from athletic director David Benedict, who said the school is “thrilled” that its coach is staying put.

“He has helped return our men’s basketball program back to the pinnacle of the sport, including back-to-back NCAA Championships, and we’re grateful for his loyalty to UConn,” Benedict said. “We look forward to Dan’s continued leadership on and off the court at UConn. He will continue to bring great pride to Husky fans everywhere as we work toward a three-peat.”

Lamont also participated in the celebration of the news on social media.

Our MVP Coach is staying in CT. Now let’s get ready for a #3peat, because Connecticut knows champions are built here! 🏆 #UConnNation https://t.co/KY3tDcJmoX

— Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) June 10, 2024

Hurley told Wojnarowski on Sunday that the Lakers made a “compelling case” and presented a “compelling vision” for him to become their next coach, but that he loves what he has built with the two-time defending national champion Huskies.

Hurley also told Wojnarowski that he left “extremely impressed” with Lakers VP and GM Rob Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss and had spent Sunday weighing their offer.

After a dogged pursuit of Hurley over the past weeks, the Lakers will regroup and resume bringing in candidates for interviews with hope of hiring a coach by the NBA draft later this month, sources told Wojnarowski.

New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego is expected to remain among Los Angeles’ candidates, and the Lakers could conduct their first formal interview with JJ Redick, who also has been linked to the job.

The Lakers’ failed pursuit of Hurley came 20 years after they similarly tried to hire Duke‘s Mike Krzyzewski to a record-breaking contract in 2004. Krzyzewski ultimately elected to remain at Duke.

After historically dominant back-to-back national title seasons, Hurley has emerged as the most coveted coach in the sport after constructing a juggernaut that lapped college basketball — culminating in the NCAA’s first repeat champion in 17 years and a tournament performance that produced the biggest point differential in tournament history — 140 points.

The possibility of UConn winning a third straight title is present with the return of a preseason top-5 team, but the Huskies did lose two probable lottery picks (center Donovan Clingan and guard Stephon Castle) and a first-team All-America point guard (Tristen Newton) to the NBA draft.

Hurley is 141-58 in his six seasons at UConn and 292-163 overall in 14 seasons as a collegiate coach — adding in his years at Wagner and Rhode Island. He’s gone through four losing seasons in that span; his first year at Wagner, his first two at Rhode Island and his first year at UConn.

The Lakers fired coach Darvin Ham after a first-round exit in the Western Conference playoffs. Ham was 94-70 in two seasons, including a trip to the Western Conference finals in 2023.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.