Dan Hurley is returning to UConn in 2024-25, per Adrian Wojnarowski. The Huskies head coach interviewed with the Los Angeles Lakers for their head coaching vacancy this week but ultimately turned down a six-year, $70 million offer that would have made him one of the NBA’s six highest-paid coaches.
Hurley comes off back-to-back national championships at UConn and looks to lead the Huskies to a third-straight title in 2024-25. He also denied interest in the Kentucky vacancy this offseason. With Hurley’s return, UConn boasts arguably the nation’s best coaching staff. He kept ace assistants Kimani Young, Luke Murray and Tom Moore in the fold, and that continuity is key as the Huskies’ hunt for a three-peat in 2024-25.
He also returns to one of the nation’s top rosters for the 2024-25 season. UConn ranks No. 6 in our preseason rankings following the NBA Draft deadline and transfer portal decisions. The Huskies lost four starters to the NBA this offseason but returned star forward Alex Karaban and added the No. 10 high school recruiting class and a pair of four-star transfers in the portal.
“This roster is talent-laden and unproven as ever,” Isaac Trotter wrote. “No one on this roster has ever had a 25% usage rate in their respective careers. And yet, maybe it doesn’t matter. There are high-level processors up and down this group, and Hurley has earned the benefit of the doubt. He won’t ask anyone to do something they aren’t more than equipped to handle. Hurley will do his best to cover up flaws, and the UConn staff is an elite game-planning unit. UConn is losing four starters to the NBA, and they’re still considered the odds-on favorite to win the title.”
Hurley led the Huskies to a school-record 37 wins, a Big East regular season title, a Big East tournament championship and a No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history before their historic championship win over Purdue in 2023-24. He earned Naismith College Coach of the Year honors.
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UConn hired him as head coach ahead of the 2018-19 season. He led the Huskies to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016 during his third season on the job, then again in year four. UConn suffered first-round defeats both times. He broke through in 2022-23 with his first national championship victory and agreed to a six-year contract extension with UConn worth $32.1 million last offseason. He boasts a 141-58 (.709) overall record with the Huskies through seven seasons.