When Dan Hurley took over as head coach of the UConn Huskies in 2018, the program had a lot of work to do. But the work was done, and the team soon turned into a national powerhouse. While he never made the leap to the NBA like some of his peers, Hurley’s journey through college hoops at Seton Hall shaped the leader he is today. And that journey is full of bumps and breakthroughs.
Where Did Dan Hurley Start His Hoops Journey?
Before Dan Hurley was the animated coach who was throwing his hands in the air on national TV, he was just a Jersey kid with a love for basketball. Hurley was born on January 16, 1973, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Since a young age, Hurley was exposed to basketball. His father, Bob Hurley Sr., is a legendary high school coach, and his older brother Bobby was a star at Duke.
“I blame my dad…but I’m no different”
Dan Hurley stepped away from the Seton Hall basketball team in 1993 as he was experiencing a mental health crisis. In “The Other Hurley,” he opens up about how basketball had come to define his existence.
“The Other Hurley” premieres on… pic.twitter.com/euey9Fe4P1
— E60 (@E60) March 8, 2025
And Bobby Hurley, as the world knows, went on to the NBA before becoming the head coach at Arizona State. So it comes as no surprise that Dan Hurley is so good at what he does. In fact, at Anthony High School, where his dad coached the sidelines, Hurley was a local legend. He helped the team to a 31–1 record and a No. 2 national ranking in his senior year. But while his older brother was destined for the NBA, Dan’s path took a different shape.
Dan Hurley headed to Seton Hall, where he spent five seasons, including one redshirt year. The first three years, he played under coach P.J. Carlesimo, a tough, no-nonsense guy who later jumped to the NBA himself. Those early years weren’t easy.
Hurley struggled to find a consistent spot in the rotation and averaged fewer than 6.1 points per game. It wasn’t exactly the headline-making college start most coaches dream of bragging about. But Hurley did not quite. Instead, he dug deep.
In his final two years, he came alive. Dan Hurley became a full-time starter and started putting up real numbers. As a junior, he averaged 13.8 points, 5.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. Then he upped his game again as a senior, scoring 14.3 points per contest and swiping 2.3 steals. Yet even at his best, shooting was his best strength.
Hurley’s field goal percentage never cracked 40%, and his three-point shot hovered at 29.7%. But that didn’t stop him from being a floor general with heart. And while Bobby Hurley may have been the flashier player, the one with the trophies and the NBA stint. Dan Hurley created a path of his own.
KEEP READING: Dan Hurley Attacks Skip Bayless, ‘National Talking Heads’ As $70M Regret Resurfaces After UConn Loss
And now he’s the one coaching a team that’s terrifying everyone else in March.
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