In a bold move worthy of Hollywood, the Lakers are gunning for UConn\u2019s Dan Hurley as their next head coach. According to ESPN\u2019s Adrian Wojnarowski, they\u2019re ready to back up the Brinks truck with a hefty long-term contract for the back-to-back NCAA national champion.<\/p>\n
Everyone thought the job was practically JJ Redick\u2019s to lose, so Thursday\u2019s early morning revelation was a real curveball. But if you look at Hurley\u2019s sterling coaching credentials, it makes perfect sense.<\/p>\n
Wojnarowski notes that Hurley has been in the Lakers\u2019 crosshairs since the get-go. Hurley has \u201cbeen at the forefront of the Lakers\u2019 search from the beginning of the process\u201d thanks to his exceptional \u201ctactical acumen and elite player development,\u201d qualities that align perfectly with the legendary Lakers brand.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Few candidates are as qualified for the Lakers\u2019 head coaching gig as Dan Hurley. This guy is a trailblazer\u2014the first men\u2019s college coach to secure back-to-back national championships since Billy Donovan achieved the feat with Florida in 2007. Hurley\u2019s career record in college, an impressive 141-58, speaks volumes. And his NCAA tournament performance? A jaw-dropping 12 consecutive double-digit wins.<\/p>\n
UConn\u2019s domination this past season, with a staggering 37-3 record and a seamless march through the NCAA tournament, is a testament to Hurley\u2019s strategic genius. His offensive schemes are intricate and precise, like a Swiss watch, creating fantastic scoring opportunities for his team. No wonder LeBron James has taken notice. According to Wojnarowski, LeBron \u201chas been impressed with Hurley\u2019s sophisticated offensive actions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hurley\u2019s knack for player development is another feather in his cap. Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle are projected lottery picks in the upcoming draft, showcasing Hurley\u2019s ability to mold top-tier talent. This bodes well for LeBron, especially if the team decides to draft Bronny with their no. 55 pick.<\/p>\n
Coaching runs in Hurley\u2019s veins. His father was a legendary high school coach in New Jersey, amassing 26 state championships. His brother, a two-time national champion with Duke, is now coaching at Arizona State. Clearly, Hurley was born for this role.<\/p>\n
In summary, Dan Hurley isn\u2019t just a qualified candidate; he\u2019s the perfect blend of tactical brilliance, player development prowess, and basketball heritage. The Lakers would be hitting a slam dunk by bringing him on board.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
If Dan Hurley decides to take the Lakers\u2019 offer, he could face several potential challenges.<\/p>\n
First up is building a relationship with LeBron James. Coaching LeBron isn\u2019t a walk in the park. Tactical brilliance alone won\u2019t cut it\u2014remember, LeBron once tried to get Eric Spoelstra fired. Hurley would be the tenth coach in LeBron\u2019s career, a testament to the high standards and pressures involved.<\/p>\n
Hurley\u2019s personality is another potential sticking point. The NBA is a players\u2019 league, vastly different from the college environment where coaches wield more authority. Hurley, who\u2019s never shied away from showing his emotions, might find this transition tricky. \u201cI\u2019m a crier,\u201d Hurley told FOX Sports. \u201cI laugh, I yell, and I cry. Jim Valvano said that\u2019s a full day.\u201d<\/p>\n
JJ Redick was in the running for the job for different reasons. His extensive 15-year NBA career gives him an edge in understanding the grueling pace of an NBA season, something other college coaches, like John Beilein with the Cavs, have struggled with. Redick\u2019s existing relationship with LeBron was another plus.<\/p>\n
However, Hurley brings proven tactical expertise and a strong track record in player development, overshadowing Redick\u2019s experience in this area. While coaching in the NBA is a different ball game, Hurley\u2019s success with UConn and his ability to develop players give him a lower risk profile for the Lakers.<\/p>\n
The bigger question is whether Hurley even wants the job. He\u2019s got a great setup at UConn, having signed a six-year, $31.5 million extension last summer. However, the timing of the Lakers\u2019 interest is perfect for Hurley. Coaching salaries have soared, with the Pistons\u2019 six-year, $78.5 million deal setting a new benchmark. Hurley could more than double his current salary with a move to the NBA.<\/p>\n
If he does make the leap, Hurley will need to earn every penny. The Lakers\u2019 job is one of the toughest in the league, with immense scrutiny from both within and outside the organization. Just look at how Darvin Ham was criticized mid-season, or how Frank Vogel was fired two years after winning a championship.<\/p>\n
Hurley\u2019s past experience suggests he\u2019s up to the challenge. It will be fascinating to see how he handles the pressure and whether he can translate his college success to the NBA stage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In a bold move worthy of Hollywood, the Lakers are gunning for UConn\u2019s Dan Hurley as their next head coach\u2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":294,"featured_media":38646,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[3824,3226,583],"class_list":["post-17904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","tag-dan-hurley","tag-jj-redick","tag-lakers"],"reading_time":"4 min read","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17904","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/294"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17904"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17904\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}