When the uber-successful Dan Hurley was interviewed for the high-profile head coaching position with the Los Angeles Lakers, it seemed like a marriage made in heaven.
For a franchise looking to put another NBA championship banner in the rafters, bringing in the hottest coaching prospect made perfect sense.
But something weird happened on the route to the perfect union: Hurley turned down the position and elected to stay with the Connecticut Huskies.
A position where he has won back-to-back national championships.
Hurley told Jim Rome that the reason he declined the lucrative Lakers offer was straightforward.
He proceeded: “One thing I do love about it is that I’ve got really, really strong control over whether I’m successful or not.”
“One thing I do love about it is that I’ve got really really strong control over whether I’m successful or not.” @dhurley15 on why he turned down the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/t3M4klgtkT
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) July 11, 2024
Being a college coach, according to Hurley, allows a person to be compensated for the amount of labor put in while avoiding the challenges beyond their control that are so prevalent at the professional level.
Now he may select the players, employ the staff, and even create the schedule.
Hurley stated that such a significant life decision included other important considerations, such as family and personal happiness, in terms of the lifestyle that comes with the new role.
His UConn work, he noted, “couldn’t be better” for his family because his wife and children are in a terrific position to be close to their husband and father.
Hurley also mentioned that his own father is getting older but still manages to attend all of UConn’s games and cheer on his highly successful son.
Something that would be impossible if the family relocated to the west coast.
