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Judgement Day
Dan Hurley reportedly will decide today if he'll coach the Lakers or stay at UConn. So yeah, a big day. Plus, Florida State finally catches a portal break, Team USA is golden, and much more.
Mike Miller
June 10, 2024
If you see a UConn fan today, give ‘em a hug. They’re gonna be stressed.
Let’s dive into what’s coming for Dan Hurley’s decision.
1. UConn’s waiting on Dan Hurley’s decision
What a few days for Dan Hurley. He met with Los Angeles Lakers officials on Friday, heard a “compelling vision” about what the franchise would be like with him as head coach, then jetted back to the East Coast where he, his wife, Andrea, and UConn assistant coach Luke Murray caught Billy Joel in concert.
And today? He’ll decide whether he’ll accept the Lakers’ offer or remain at UConn, per Adrian Wojnarowski. For what it’s worth, practice was scheduled for today and no team meeting was set as of Sunday night.
Various reports indicated Hurley was “50/50” when it came to the Lakers and their offer that’s supposedly close to $100 million. Beyond the money is a chance to coach LeBron James, Anthony Davis and develop a roster that’ll be built for winning NBA titles over the next decade. From Woj:
Part of the allure of Hurley traces back to the changing landscape of NBA roster building under the collective bargaining agreement. Because of the roster-building limitations imposed by the new second apron, the ability of big-market teams to construct contending rosters by trading multiple draft picks and young players for a third star player has largely been eliminated. Beyond the 17th overall pick in this month's draft, the Lakers have a young core of Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Max Christie that management believes can show even greater improvement under Hurley's coaching, sources said.
Not that UConn is simply holding out hope. Per Jeff Goodman, the school has a contract that would make him one of college basketball’s top three paid coaches, behind Bill Self and John Calipari. It’s not Lakers money, but what is?
Also waiting? A UConn roster that’s talented enough to make a run at an historic third-straight national title that would not only cement Hurley’s status as a HOFer, but place him in company that only includes John Wooden.
The other aspect weighing in UConn’s favor: family. His parents live in the Northeast and are a regular presence in his life. (His dad, Bob Sr., is a fixture at UConn games.) His wife Andrea, has said she loves the Northeast and would like to stay.
"His parents are still here and still very much a part of his life, and it's convenient for the family to be in this part of the country," a source to John Fanta of FOX Sports. "But there's that angle that there may never be a better opportunity than this one right now."
That’s true. Hurley, 51, is the front-runner for the Lakers job and has made it known that he’d like to pursue an NBA job at some point. Only the Knicks or the Celtics would potentially hold more appeal.
Plus, the Lakers don’t have all their eggs in Hurley’s basket. Rumors surfaced Sunday that former Villanova coach Jay Wright was a “stealth” candidate, which may simply be a way to nudge Hurley toward a decision.
It’s a massive day for Hurley, UConn, and college hoops. Can’t wait to hear what Hurley decides.
2. Jamir Watkins passes on the portal
Not much had gone right for Florida State this spring.