College hoops world reacts to Dick Vitale's prediction for Huskies HC amid NBA transition rumors: "Dan Hurley better leave UConn" "Hope you're right" 

UConn coach Dan Hurley (Hurley
UConn coach Dan Hurley (Hurley's IG handle)

Ever since reports linking UConn Huskies coach Dan Hurley to the vacant Lakers job broke last week, events have accelerated at a fast clip. The two-time national championship-winning coach traveled to meet the franchise's owner Jeannie Buss and vice-president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka on Friday.

Several reports say that the Huskies coach would make a decision on whether to remain in Storrs and build a college basketball dynasty with UConn or take the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to coach the Lakers on Monday.

Not everyone in the industry thinks that Hurley will take the job, though. ESPN analyst Dick Vitale speculated on X that Dan Hurley would remain the UConn Huskies coach and attempt to win a three-peat of national championships.

"My VBDI gut says that @dhurley15 will stay with @UConnMBB - his talents & strengths r made for the college game ala @CoachCalArk & @RealPitino," Vitale tweeted.

College hoops fans on X had mixed reactions to Dick Vitale's prediction on the future of the Huskies coach.

Several college hoops fans agreed with Vitale on Hurley's future being in Storrs.

"He wants to coach the Knicks...," One fan tweeted.
"Think you right on this one, Dickie V!" Another one tweeted.
"Totally agree with you Dickie V," one fan tweeted.
"He (Dan Hurley) better leave Uconn," another fan tweeted.

Dan Hurley reportedly favors UConn stay

Were Dan Hurley to remain at UConn, he would have the chance to become only the second coach in the history of college basketball to win a three-peat of national championships, alongside former UCLA Bruins legend John Wooden.

Fox Sports analyst John Fanta revealed that Dan Hurley disclosed his talks with the Lakers to his players on Thursday and scheduled practice as usual even as he held talks with the franchise on Friday.

Some industry insiders suggest that Hurley will in fact take the extraordinary step of turning down the Lakers job and remain in Storrs. CBS analyst Matt Norlander reported on the same on Saturday.

"Since the news broke, there has been cautious optimism. Not by all, but by some, that has only been reinforced," Matt Norlander said. "I want to stress this, cautious optimism, that he will ultimately decide to stay at UConn. The biggest reason being that he's an East Coast guy, Northeast, born and bred, lived his entire life there. This would be such a drastic change.
"Who's to say that an NBA job a year from now, two years from now, three years from now, that's much closer to his home base, couldn't necessarily open?"

The UConn Huskies are already by far the most dominant team in college basketball. With a winning pedigree, it would be understandable for Dan Hurley to remain as the coach and make himself a legend.

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Edited by Bhargav
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