Why Dan Hurley stayed at UConn: Texts with LeBron James, Billy Joel concert lead to decision to spurn Lakers

On Monday, UConn coach Dan Hurley turned down a six-year, $70 million offer to coach the Los Angeles Lakers. It was a decision of significant consequence for the NBA and college basketball. Hurley, instead, will remain in college and has his sights set on trying to win a third straight national championship. CBS Sports spoke with the reigning national coach of the year on Thursday morning. Over the course of a 45-minute conversation, Hurley explained how the Lakers’ offer surfaced, his trip to Los Angeles, why he was never missing that Billy Joel concert at Madison Square Garden and, ultimately, the factors that led to him staying put in Storrs, Connecticut. This interview has been edited for clarity.

CBS Sports: What was your reaction when your agent called you last Monday and says this Lakers thing is really real? It’s a different deal than Kentucky. Were you anticipating this? How did it land with you initially? 

Dan Hurley: Because it’s the Lakers it lands differently. If your whole life has been basketball and the LA Lakers call, it’s an exciting moment. Your imagination goes wild because, if you’re a historian and you love the game, all your memories as a child of watching it, thinking about it, it’s like a really exciting moment.

CBS: What emotions did you have walking into the Lakers’ facility?  

DH: It was exciting. There was some nervous energy in that way too, obviously. I had developed a rapport with Rob Pelinka over the course of a couple days that week. There had been pre-draft conversations with Rob about our players. I’ve had good conversations with Rob. Remember, Jordan Hawkins was a target of theirs in the last draft. So, I wasn’t going in totally blind, relative to Rob, there was a comfort level with Rob. But meeting Jeannie Buss and the Buss family of the Lakers, was like, I think when she kind of walked in and (I) said, ‘Oh, shit.’

CBS: What was the tenor of the meeting?…

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Author : Matt Norlander

Publish date : 2024-06-13 19:12:32

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