UConn Huskies men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley said there was no conspiracy theory about his interest in the Los Angeles Lakers gig.
While it was initially shocking news that Hurley had emerged as a serious candidate for the Lakers, the college coach eventually said no to the NBA opportunity Los Angeles. During an interview on Dan Le Batard Show, he called it a “gut-wrenching decision” before he made his choice.
But then it was simply business as usual for the Huskies once Hurley eventually made his decision to defend his back-to-back collegiate national titles.
“One of the worst takes I’ve heard is that this was a leverage play…I don’t need leverage here. We’ve won back to back national championships.”
– Dan Hurley shuts down the rumors that this was all some sort of leverage play to get a better contract with UConn.
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) June 13, 2024
According to Hurley, it is a bad faith argument to suggest that he was trying to use negotiations with the Lakers against UConn for a contract extension:
“One of the worst takes I’ve heard is this was a leverage play by me to improve my situation at UConn. I don’t need leverage here. We’ve won back-to-back national championships at this place. This was never a leverage situation for me. I’ve had a contract in place here for a couple weeks and the financial part in terms of salary has been done for a while. There are some other parts like NIL and staff salaries and some different things that I want adjusted that I’m not comfortable with. But the sense that this was some conspiracy to get me a sweeter deal at UConn is lazy.”
The coach was reportedly offered $70 million over six years by the Lakers.
Hurley said he had already figured out the financials on his next deal with the university, who recently announced a contract extension for UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma.
He argued that anyone who viewed this saga as a way to sweeten the pot for himself in negotiations with UConn was being lazy.
