Dan Hurley. A name that usually likes to stay out of the spotlight but unknowingly gained a lot of traction by almost leaving UConn for LeBron James. The Huskies great became quite popular in April as he tracked down a consecutive National title. When asked about how UConn has such serious players, he had quite an interesting response. Surprisingly, it was the “lack of sexiness” at Storrs, Connecticut. However, when the winds were about to change, the head coach, instead of choosing the warm and cozy weather of Los Angeles, stayed in the freezing temperatures.

Another mystery that revolved around his decision was how could he give up $70 million for 6 years and the allowance to coach ‘King Jame’s and other pros. Talking about his choice, Dan Hurley opened up to Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster. Apart from his wish to chase down a third consecutive trophy like John Wooden, one reason was the weather. Speaking up on the uncommon reason, Hurley said in an appearance on The Field of 68: After Dark, “LA was not an appeal. I like the weather here. It puts me in the right mental space when it’s time to play these games.”

Commenting more on his reasoning, Hurley added, “I don’t think a sunny and beautiful weather would fit my disposition. That would be an issue for me.” Although his decision was a negative one, Dan Hurley did mention that one appealing factor for him to choose LA was the organization’s incredible history. If he had signed with the LA Lakers, he would have been with one of the most celebrated franchises and joined honored names like Pat Riley and Phil Jackson.

Now that he has chosen to stay back in Storrs, what is the 2x NCAA championship-winning coach looking forward to?

The next for Dan Hurley at UConn

College basketball has lost many a great name to the sidelines in the last few years, including the likes of Coach K. However, Dan Hurley surely brought the spark back with his return. Later this month, two of his leading scorers will leave the NCAA’s platform to enter the NBA. These are Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer. While UConn will not have these table toppers, it still has many tricks up its sleeves.

This year’s Huskies roster will include the returning star- Alex Karaban along with Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle who have the experience to start for Hurley. Moreover, through the offseason, he also added a handful of great and talented hoopers to compete for the blue blood. The new Huskies will be the transferring Aidan Mahaney, fresher Liam McNeeley, and Michigan transfer Tarris Reed Jr. in the 2024-25 roster.

While only time can tell if Dan Hurley can truly get yet another National title home, we can be sure that UConn is revived and in its best form so far. It will be interesting to see these men perform for the crowd once again, beat the odds, and defend what’s theirs.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.