Dan Hurley Chooses Happiness Over Money by Staying at Connecticut

 

Dan Hurley's decision to stay at Connecticut instead of joining the Los Angeles Lakers is unusual in today's sports world because it wasn’t about the money. The Lakers are being criticized for supposedly offering Hurley a lowball deal of $70 million over six years. 

In contrast, the University of Connecticut is paying him a little over $32 million for the same period, which is still a substantial amount but significantly less than the Lakers' offer.

The key reason Hurley chose to stay at Connecticut is rooted in history, family, and happiness. There's an old coaching adage: "Never run away from happiness.

" Many coaches who left for more money, fame, or glamour ended up unemployed. The Lakers have won only one title since 2010 and tend to fire coaches every two years. In contrast, Hurley can remain at Connecticut indefinitely after their recent successes.

Several college coaches, including Rick Pitino, John Calipari, John Beilein, Fred Hoiberg, Lon Kruger, and P.J. Carlesimo, moved to the NBA and then returned to college after facing challenges. Billy Donovan and Brad Stevens have had some success in the NBA but haven’t won titles. Stevens, however, might win one as the president of the Celtics.

There’s nothing wrong with transitioning from college to the pros, especially given the current chaos in college sports. However, Connecticut isn’t in chaos; it's thriving. 

The Huskies have won two consecutive NCAA titles, a feat only two other schools have achieved since John Wooden's retirement. The first school to do so was Duke in 1991 and 1992, led by Bobby Hurley, Dan's older brother.

Dan Hurley's journey to the top of NCAA basketball is deeply connected to his brother's success and their father's coaching legacy. Bob Hurley Sr., who coached at St. 

Anthony's in Jersey City for 45 years, is one of the few high school coaches in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Both brothers recall their father discussing opponents as if they were the legendary Bill Russell Celtics.

Dan Hurley’s happiness at Connecticut is intertwined with his family history. His older brother, Bobby, was the star of the family, leading Duke to two national championships and still holding the all-time Division I assists record. 

Danny, two years younger, played for Seton Hall but struggled with the pressure of being Bobby’s brother, leading to issues with alcohol and depression. He eventually returned and finished his college career with over 1,000 points.

Bobby’s NBA career was cut short by a severe car accident in 1993. Although he recovered enough to play part-time for four more seasons, he was never the same. This reversal of roles saw Bobby step away from basketball and get involved in horse training, while Dan pursued coaching. Dan started as an assistant coach at Rutgers, then took over at St. 

Benedict's Prep in New Jersey, achieving a 223-21 record in nine seasons. He later convinced Bobby to join him as an assistant coach at Wagner. Dan's success at Wagner led to a position at Rhode Island, and eventually, the job at Connecticut.

Dan and his family love living in Connecticut. His parents attend almost every home game, and his son Andrew was a walk-on for both national title teams. Dan Hurley is aware of the historic opportunity he has to become the first coach since Wooden to win three consecutive national titles.

The Hurley family remains close, with the brothers talking almost daily. Dan’s temperament may not be ideal for the NBA’s 100-plus games per year, but he is only 51 and may have more lucrative opportunities in the future. If college basketball becomes even more chaotic, he might explore the NBA, where there are no name, image, and likeness deals, no transfer portal, and no court decisions about player payments.

For now, though, Hurley has every reason to be happy at Connecticut. More importantly, he’s wise enough to realize it.