UConn Coach Dan Hurley Rejects Lakers’ Lucrative Offer, Chooses to Pursue Third Consecutive Title

University of Connecticut men’s basketball head coach Dan Hurley has made the decision to stay with the Huskies, turning down an impressive offer from the Los Angeles Lakers for their head coaching position.

Hurley declined a substantial six-year, $70 million proposal from the Lakers, who are currently in search of a new coach following the dismissal of Darvin Ham in May. The lucrative offer would have positioned Hurley among the NBA’s top six highest-paid coaches. Notably, Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors holds the title of the league’s highest-paid coach, earning $17.5 million in 2024 after signing a two-year, $35 million extension earlier this year.

Reports suggest that the Lakers attempted to entice Hurley away from UConn with an enticing long-term contract offer. Before negotiations with the Lakers began, Hurley, who is 51 years old, had already received a high-paying offer to remain at UConn as one of the highest-compensated NCAA coaches, and discussions regarding this contract will continue, as per sources from ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski. Hurley claimed the 2024 Naismith College Coach of the Year award in April after leading the Huskies to a second consecutive national championship.

Under his current contract, effective from April 2023, Hurley is set to receive $500,000 in retention bonuses annually on November 15th until 2028. If Hurley had accepted the Lakers offer, either he or the team would have been required to compensate UConn $1.875 million in buyout fees. This figure would have skyrocketed to $7.9 million if he had chosen to depart for another collegiate program.

With his focus now set on capturing a third consecutive national title with the UConn Huskies, Hurley is aiming to achieve a rare feat in men’s Division I college basketball. The last time a three-peat was accomplished was during the remarkable reign of John Wooden‘s UCLA Bruins, who secured seven consecutive championships from 1967 to 1973.