"My eyes got real big": UConn star Alex Karaban admits he was "nervous" about HC Dan Hurley's impending decision about the Lakers job

On Monday, news broke that Dan Hurley had rejected the Los Angeles Lakers' $70 million offer for the head coaching position. Before coach Hurley came to a decision, he called one of his players, Alex Karaban.

After an impressive performance at the NBA draft combine in May, Karaban chose to return for his redshirt junior year. This move surprised everyone, but the forward knew returning meant being a part of history: a shot at a three-peat.

However, Karaban admitted that the news of Dan Hurley's potential move to Los Angeles made him nervous. On Sunday, two days after the meeting with Lakers' executives, Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss, Hurley called Karaban when he was playing "NBA 2K" in his room.

"My eyes got real big," Karaban said about getting the call (via Fox Sports). "I came back to be with Coach Hurley. Of course, I would have been so happy for him if he took the Lakers job, but you're nervous because I went through the NBA draft process, got good feedback, but was 50-50 on that decision and ultimately said yes to returning here and being a part of potential history."

With the confusion and anticipation well behind them, Alex Karaban, Dan Hurley and the rest of the UConn roster prepare for a third straight NCAA title. They could be the first to do this since the UCLA Bruins and John Wooden won seven times in a row in the 1960s and '70s.

"I know it sounds crazy, but I think we've got a team that could be one of the most talented that this program has ever had," Karaban said. "Now, we know the best coach in the country is here to oversee it all. It's time to get to work."

Dan Hurley reveals the prospect of coaching LeBron James enticed him before rejecting the Lakers

During an interview with CBS Sports' Matt Norlander on Thursday, Dan Hurley revealed that over the weekend, he exchanged texts with Lakers veteran LeBron James.

"It was one of the draws, was the chance, in your lifetime, to have coached one of the greatest players of all time," Hurley said. "I have a lot of confidence that my work ethic and my expertise and my ability to connect with him would have made for a great partnership there.

"That was a huge draw for me. We texted some and I'm smart enough to have had some communication there, because you would want to, obviously, begin that relationship. Or, you know, that he's got sons that are really good at basketball, if I was going to stay in college."

Besides coaching LeBron, Dan Hurley was also considered a great option due to the Lakers' potential 2024 draft prospects, Bronny James and Zach Edey. With his vast experience in developing young players, Hurley would have been able to help them become great players.

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