The coach will seek his third consecutive national title with UConn.
UConn coach Dan Hurley rejected a six-year, $70 million offer from the Los Angeles Lakers and will return to the NCAA to pursue a third consecutive national title with UConn, ESPN reported.
The Lakers’ offer would have made Hurley one of the top six highest-paid coaches in the NBA. However, before talks with the Lakers began, Hurley already had an offer from UConn to become one of the highest-paid coaches in the NCAA.
Those discussions are ongoing. Hurley signed a six-year, $32.1 million contract with UConn after the 2022-23 season.
The Lakers will be looking to find their new coach
After a determined pursuit of Hurley over the past few weeks, the Lakers will regroup and resume interviewing candidates, aiming to hire a coach before the NBA draft later this month.
New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego is expected to remain a candidate for the Lakers. Additionally, the team might conduct its first formal interview with JJ Redick, who has also been linked to the position.
Hurley told ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski on Sunday that the Lakers presented a “compelling case” and a “convincing vision” for him to become their next coach, but he loves what he has built with the two-time national champion Huskies.
Hurley also told Wojnarowski that he was “extremely impressed” with Lakers vice president and general manager Rob Pelinka, as well as owner Jeanie Buss, and that he spent Sunday weighing their offer.
The current two-time NCAA national champion met with the Lakers in Los Angeles on Friday and attended the Billy Joel concert at MSG in New York on Saturday night with his wife Andrea and UConn assistant Luke Murray, The Post reported.
