Dan Hurley Signs Massive Extension, Solidifies Status At UConn
The UConn head coach signed a new six-year, $50 million deal on Monday
Matthew Horner - Jul 9, 2024, 6:20pm EDT
The New Deal
Despite all of the rumors swirling this offseason that UConn head coach Dan Hurley would take his talents to the NBA, he has decided that it wasn't for him, instead opting to stay in his current position coaching the Huskies. He officially agreed to a new contract with the school on Monday that is worth $50 million over six years. That averages out to about $8.3 million annually, which leaves him just behind Kansas head coach Bill Self as the highest-paid coach in college basketball, who earned over $9 million in compensation last season.
No Thanks, NBA
The Los Angeles Lakers offered Hurley a massive $70 million over six years to fill their coaching vacancy, $20 million more than what UConn was offering, but he turned them down to remain in Connecticut to continue building the program that he has turned into college basketball's biggest powerhouse. The Huskies have won back-to-back NCAA titles, a feat that very few programs have ever been able to accomplish, and all of that winning was too much to risk to up and leave.
Some also believed that this was a leverage play to get more money out of the school, but Hurley shot those rumors down quickly. "One of the biggest misnomers that I've seen, and I've had a chance to see some things (in the media), is this was a leverage play," he said, per CBS Sports. "It was a zero-leverage play. Zero. I mean, zero. How much more leverage do I need? We just won back-to-back championships. I didn't need leverage and I wouldn't have tortured myself if there wasn't some strong, like, should I do this? I thought it through. I wanted to give it great consideration. It has nothing to do with improving my position here."
UConn Futures
No team has won three straight NCAA titles since UCLA when they won a remarkable seven straight from 1967-73. Hurley will look to become the first coach since John Wooden to do so this coming season, but it won't be easy at all. Four starters from last year's championship team are gone, which will leave him with returning reserves, transfers, and three true freshmen. Still, it apparently doesn't bother sportsbooks, as they are still the favorite to repeat for the title at 10/1 odds in some places.