In June 2024, UConn Huskies coach Dan Hurley used an interesting tactic to motivate his players in the midst of his contract negotiations. Months after Hurley steered the Huskies to back-to-back national championships with a 75-60 win over the Purdue Boilermakers in the 2024 NCAA championship game, news surfaced of Hurley receiving a reported $70 million offer from the LA Lakers.
The Lakers offered Hurley the prime opportunity to be their next head coach, in replacement of Darvin Ham. As the 2024-25 NBA season rolled on, Los Angeles eventually went with former Duke Blue Devils star and NBA standout JJ Reddick as their new main tactician while Hurley re-signed with the Huskies for a six-year, $50 million contract in July of that year.
In June, Hurley revealed to sports writer Michael Cohen of FOX Sports that he had used these reports of him potentially leaving to further motivate his players to lock in on their team. According to Cohen’s report, it was detailed that the Huskies were not allowed to have their cellphones in their locker rooms. This gave Hurley the chance to gauge their long-term commitment towards the success of the team.
“I used it to my advantage as a coach in terms of asking them for a heavy commitment. I had made my decision before I went in there, but I kind of demanded a commitment of excellence from them in there, and they didn’t really know what I was doing when I went in. So it was almost like, ‘Whatever you guys say and commit to is going to be the deciding factor,’ which was a lie. I already had decided. That’s why I like coaching guys this age,” Hurley said.
“They’re dumber than NBA players. I wouldn’t have been able to pull that stuff off (in the pros). But, I got a great commitment from the group and I told them,” he concluded.
Hurley and the Huskies went on to finish the 2024-25 season with an overall record of 24-11 (14-6, Big East) and had their national championship three-peat hopes thwarted by the eventual national champions in the Florida Gators during their second round match-up in this year’s March Madness, 77-75.
When Dan Hurley described what his players’ initial reactions were to him meeting with the LA Lakers
Later in his interview with FOX Sports, UConn Huskies coach Dan Hurley revealed what his players’ exact reactions were when they found out about him meeting with the LA Lakers.
“Images of things that will always be embedded in your mind,” is what Hurley described how his players looked but to their delight, Hurley did re-sign with the Huskies on a long-term deal.
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