UConn HC Dan Hurley reveals real reason behind the decision to turn down Lakers’ $70,000,000 job

UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley made national headlines after he refused the Los Angeles Lakers' $70 million offer for their then-vacant head coach position. After leading his team to back-to-back NCAA championships, many believed that Hurley had done it all and was ready for the NBA.

However, in an interview on the Dan Patrick Show, Hurley revealed that his style and approach to coaching are best suited for college, especially UConn.

"It was all about really how I want to coach and where I want to coach. College, I think, is the perfect place for me to coach," Dan Hurley said. "UConn is the perfect place for me to coach in college. Meeting Rob [Pelinka] and Jeanie Buss and they were awesome, and they almost made me want to do it."

"But it's just, you know, where do I belong? Where do I get to coach the way I really want to be a coach? The great thing about being a college coach, Dan, is I get to pick the players. I get to set the tone every day here. I decide when planes leave [and] decide when we eat. I decide when they go to sleep. I could take their phones away at meals."

"Even though you don't have as much control as you used to as a college coach, you still are in an environment as a coach where you have the greatest impact on whether your team can be successful."

Breakdown of Dan Hurley's latest contract with UConn

Since his refusal, Dan Hurley has signed a six-year $50 million contract extension with the UConn Huskies. He is set to earn $400,000 per year, as a base salary, along with $6.375 million for the upcoming season as compensation for his speaking, consulting, and media obligations.

The additional compensation for Hurley will increase every year and by the time the contract ends in 2030, Hurley will earn $7.45 million. He also has a $50,000 incentive for regular season and other championships. An Elite Eight appearance will earn Dan Hurley a $125,000 bonus, $250,000 for a Final Four appearance, and $500,000 for a championship.

He is set to become the second-highest-paid coach in college basketball after Bill Self. To meet these salary needs, the Athletic Department will rely on the Husky Athletic Fund and ticket sales revenue, which are predicted to increase in the upcoming seasons.

Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies are on the cusp of history as they embark on a journey to win a third straight championship and become the first team since UCLA in 1967-1973 to achieve a three-peat.