UConn’s men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley explains decision to stay with Huskies

(CNN) — University of Connecticut men’s basketball head coach Dan Hurley spoke with reporters Thursday for the first time since spurning the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers to stay and chase a third-straight national title with the Huskies.

“It was obviously tempting and obviously the Lakers organization is just incredible, you know, once in a lifetime, to be presented with an opportunity to lead one of the most storied franchises in sports,” Hurley said.

The Lakers had offered the coach of the reigning back-to-back NCAA champion Huskies a six-year, $70 million contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, to fill the team’s coaching vacancy.

On Monday, Hurley informed the Huskies he had elected to stay with the program. The coach said he was approached by the Lakers last week and although the choice was difficult, there were too many reasons for his decision to stay at UConn.

“Think about the two places that you are in your mind trying to choose between, like the head coach of the back-to-back champs at UConn or the LA Lakers,” Hurley said.

“I mean, (there are) not many coaches that have had to make the decision between those two options for your career. Just so many things that go through your mind. It’s your family, it’s where you’re best to be as a coach, it’s the business side, it’s your loyalty to your players,” he continued.

“This was a great test and a great exercise for me for how I feel about UConn, how I feel about being a college coach and all the things that I value,” Hurley said. “Situations like this come up for you to test your value system and the things are important to you, so in a way this was a great opportunity for self-reflection about the things that I think are most important in coaching in my career.”

Hurley has an 151-58 record in six seasons as head coach of the UConn program. The 51-year-old coach will have an opportunity to chase winning a third straight NCAA championship and become the first men’s program to accomplish the feat since UCLA won a seventh straight title in 1973.

The Huskies head coach acknowledged the thought of coaching the NBA’s all-time leading scorer LeBron James was “incredibly appealing,” adding he spoke with the Lakers superstar over the weekend.

“But then for me, I just think this is such a high level of sports especially where we’re competing at, and I get a chance to coach 18, 19, 20-year-old kids that you could really help change their lives,” Hurley continued.

“You can compete for big things and win big things, … like the impact that you have on Jordan Hawkins and his family and Donovan (Clingan) and his family. You get the top sports competition, but then you also get the fulfillment too, which goes through your mind a lot,” he said.

Hurley also addressed the chatter on social media that he used the Lakers’ open head coaching position as leverage for contract negotiations with the Huskies, saying winning back-to-back NCAA national championships was all the leverage he needed.

“I know that became a thing. The whole finances of that was worked out between Dave (Benedict) and my agent probably two weeks ago,” Hurley said.

“This was something that when the Lakers come calling and you’re the type of person that is competitive and looking for challenges and wants to be the best, the way I am, it’s something that I really have to consider for me,” he continued.

Hurley added: “Hopefully we’re able to finalize something that way soon and get the whole contract done, but I was flattered by what Dave’s put front of me, I think it’s very fair.”

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