Is Dan Hurley The Right Fit As Lakers Head Coach?
Dan Hurley recently capped off one of the great all-time runs in NCAA basketball history. His UConn Huskies dominated their way to a second straight National Championship and are in pole position to push for a three-peat. However, with his stock at an all-time high, many teams would love the veteran coach. In particular, the Los Angeles Lakers are strongly positioning themselves to make an offer for Hurley to move into the NBA. However, does that make sense? Should he really consider leaving Storrs for the most scrutinized coaching job in all of basketball?
Why He Should
Hurley is an uber-confident coach. Anything he takes on he has full belief in being successful at. The term that many have thrown around is “program builder.” He clearly did that to the tune of making UConn the top dog in college basketball once again. The NBA is a different beast entirely but if anyone can navigate through it and build a powerhouse, it’s him. Many fans have marveled at his offensive genius and schemes. Darvin Ham worked admirably for two seasons but playoff disappointments ultimately ruined his tenure. LA has a roster that wants to compete for championships and he would be the type of name that could help push in that direction.
Another feather in his cap is his personality. You can tell he is East Coast to the core and that’s a good thing. He is not afraid to stand up for his players in the media and he is hard core. That comes from excellent player development skills as well. Many have connected the dots that if they are successful in luring him, the Lakers would more than likely draft Bronny James in this year’s draft. Hurley would make a lot of sense in turning the son of LeBron James into a more complete and NBA-ready player.
Obviously, he comes from the legendary Bob Hurley who will remain a Jersey City icon. His hard-nosed style is not universally loved but it does bring results. He would not shy away from the pressure that the LA market pushes onto him.
Do You Really Wanna Go?
There is a lot of allure to being with the Lakers in Hollywood. A big pay raise is also something to consider. However, why run away from a place that’s been so good to you? Hurley has the chance to be the first coach since John Wooden to win three national championships in a row. Recruits and transfers from far and wide are lining up to play for him. There is too much going on right now for him to just jump outta there. Rumors after March Madness linking him to other collegiate positions flew around. Especially the Kentucky vacancy after John Calipari departed for Arkansas.
However, he was quick to squash those and pledge his allegiance to the Huskies. Maybe it was only on the college levels that he would never leave? However, who knows? The overwhelming sense is that he should stay for at least one more year and go for the three-peat. Maybe other NBA jobs open up that are intriguing, but I don’t know how anything could seriously convince him to leave. He’s already a walking legend in the game and he has a chance to further solidify his status at the NCAA level.
Dan Hurley is unsurprisingly one of the most sought-after coaches in the game. His status is worthy of a team like the Lakers, but do you really think he’d end up leaving UConn?
