In the United States of America, and especially in the Los Angeles area, it seems to be all about the Benjamins. In other words, money talks.
In our society, many people, especially those who are elite in their field, can be attracted just about anywhere and into any situation for enough money, or so it seems.
When Dan Hurley rejected the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coaching offer of $70 million over six years to remain at the University of Connecticut, the first instinct people had was to assume that he said no because he wasn’t offered enough money. Critics are saying that this is another case of the Lakers being unwilling or perhaps even unable to pay people other than atar players a competitive salary.
After all, that was the reason Tyronn Lue turned down the same job in 2019 and instead joined the Los Angeles Clippers.
But one college basketball reporter says Hurley turned down the Lakers not because of money.
"According to my sources, he flipped his decision. He may have flipped a couple of times. He has wrestled with this decision since Wednesday. This was not an easy decision– and it wasn't a money decision" –@GoodmanHoops
DAN HURLEY STAYING AT UCONN ⬇️⬇️https://t.co/UGhGsBS2Xl pic.twitter.com/mBqRfJsomD
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) June 10, 2024
“According to my sources, he flipped (his decision),” said Jeff Goodman. “He may have flipped a few times here… He has wrestled with this decision really since Wednesday and then he obviously went out to L.A. on Friday and then came back and went to Billy Joel. But this was not an easy decision and this was not a money decision because obviously the Lakers were paying him probably a little bit more than $70 million for six years, so you’re talking in the neighborhood of $12 million a year where UConn is gonna pay him a little over $8 million a year. So if it was a money decision, if it was an ego decision, I think Dan Hurley would’ve went to the Los Angeles Lakers and challenged himself at the highest possible level. But comfort meant something to him, also the fact obviously of doing something that hasn’t been done since the early ‘70s by John Wooden’s UCLA teams, three-peating.”
Hurley coming to the Lakers would’ve meant leaving the college landscape, where coaches have a lot more power and are the face of their program. The NBA, obviously, is run by superstars, not coaches or even front offices.
In addition, Hurley would’ve had to leave the Northeast, where he has spent his entire life. Both he and his father, legendary high school coach Bob Hurley Sr., are from Jersey City, N.J.
The younger Hurley has been the head coach of the Huskies since 2018. Under his leadership, they have won the last two NCAA championships.
