Dan Hurley of UConn never allowed his mind go from what propelled him to the top of the men’s college basketball world, even with an offer that would make him one of the highest-paid college basketball coaches in the nation.
A month or so after turning down the Los Angeles Lakers’ offer to take over as head coach, Hurley signed a six-year, $50 million contract that would last through the 2029–2030 campaign. Next season, he will get $6.375 million on top of his base pay of $400,000.
Hurley declared on Tuesday, “I don’t obsess over it.” To be more precise, I took my time because I didn’t want to read it, consider it, or deal with it. It’s good that the basketball portion is gone because we have been so focused on it.
Hurley, 51, inked a new contract that included keeping his assistant coaches on staff and handling the modern college athletics landscape.
Hurley is aware that Luke Murray, Tom Moore, and Kimani Young shared equal blame with him for UConn’s back-to-back national championships.
Hurley remarked, “It is difficult to assemble a staff because there aren’t many people who can work for me; the intensity of our program and the way we conduct business is at a different intensity level.” “It is always difficult for me to find people to hire because I am demanding and hard on the people who play for and work for me.”
Hurley was eager to give UConn Athletics Director David Benedict credit for handling matters, as he has done ever since Hurley was hired.
Hurley declared, “Dave bears equal blame for our current situation as any of us.” “DB has been a helpful associate. We have discussed issues such as how college basketball is evolving, potential revenue sharing, TV partnerships, and how to best use and grow our brand. How can we make the most of our basketball excellence on both sides and position our brand at the top of college basketball to ensure that we don’t fall behind?
“You want to maintain an unwavering level of focus on your work so that you can advance in your profession. He’s always completed the task.
“He gives us the tools we need to compete at the top and does what we need to do to give us those tools.”
Alex Karaban was the only starting player from UConn that was picked in the most recent NBA draft.
Hurley stated that despite having an ankle ailment right now, rookie Liam McNeeley is “as ready as any freshman who has come in.”
Hurley thinks his team is capable of contending for a third consecutive national championship.
Hurley claimed, “We are at a talent level similar to what the group (from last season) looked like.” “There seems to be a lot of potential there.
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