“Not another summer of that.” Dan Hurley’s words, however exasperated they might have been, remind us of last summer’s shenanigans between his camp and the Los Angeles Lakers. By then, the UConn head coach had proved that he was the best in the business, and Rob Pelinka definitely wanted a piece of him! However, Hurley’s loyalty meant that even their best offer could not sway him away from his Huskies. 

Not to mention, his six-year and $50 million contract extension meant that he’ll remain a Husky at least until the 2029 season comes to an end. But then again, when someone like Tom Thibodeau is let go, the basketball world expects something major to follow. There’s no doubt that Hurley can take charge of an NBA team with great effect, but is there mutual interest between the two parties? 

Well, Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander talked about it on CBS Sports’ Eye on College Basketball. “I was told Wednesday that the Knicks had not reached out to Hurley’s camp.” Norlander said, dismissing the rumors outright. “It would not appear as though there was an indication that the Knicks are prioritizing going after Dan Hurley one year after the Lakers pegged him to be their next coach and he turned LA down.” Because obviously, the Knicks are in a completely different situation!

The Los Angeles Lakers were in need of a complete overhaul, but the Knicks? They just went toe-to-toe with Indiana in the conference finals. The Jalen Brunson-led team has proved time and time again that they’re on the cusp of the promised land, and not a rebuilding team. Hurley might be able to get them over the hump, but they have the chemistry to do without him as well. 

And it looks like they’re taking that route! “The understanding here is that the Knicks are not prioritizing Hurley, and Hurley is not looking to bail on UConn in the first week of June, and then go through another 2-3 week process of ‘will he, won’t he’ kinda stuff there.” Norlander explained, emphasizing Dan Hurley’s desire to see it through in Connecticut, and the Knicks deciding not to pursue the Husky head coach. 

Hurley’s high-energy, player-development style aligns well with the Knicks’ gritty identity, but his approach is better suited for teams needing a cultural overhaul rather than one already on the cusp of a championship. This likely explains why the Knicks haven’t pursued him, as noted by Norlander.

So, if he’s not taking the Knicks coaching assignment, what’s going on in the life of Dan Hurley right now? Well, his wife Andrea was the recipient of quite a heartwarming award recently. Let’s find out exactly what happened!

The First Lady of UConn basketball wins fabulous honor as Dan Hurley prepares for war

Dan and Andrea Hurley keep making the state of Connecticut proud! While Dan has provided the UConn Huskies with a much needed sense of direction over the last few years, Andrea has done her part too! She has been in the background, supporting her husband, and the Huskies organization through charitable work and involvement!

There’s no doubt that Andrea deserves all the recognition in the world, and that’s exactly where the Saint Claire Award comes in. It is an award for women that embody Christian values through athletic involvement and community service, and there was no better recipient than Andrea Hurley. She received it on June 3rd, at the 39th Annual Francisian Sports Banquet and Silent Auction. And while she has been busy with her collaborations with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Husky Ticket Project, her husband has been toiling away at work. 

After all, UConn fans are expecting retribution this season! A second round exit to Todd Golden’s Gators was not the ending they had imagined for the season. It was supposed to be their three-peat year, but Dan Hurley’s squad just could not pull through. However, the Huskies head coach is making sure that his team is prepared for every challenge in their way. 

According to a tweet by Jon Rothstein, Hurley has put together the best non-conference schedule in the history of UConn basketball! His Huskies will be facing BYU, Arizona, Illinois, Kansas, Florida, and Texas aside from their scheduled Big East matchups. There’s no doubt that these games will help the UConn squad prepare for the post-season, and any March Madness upsets that might come their way! 

It will be interesting to see how Hurley’s team recovers from such an early exit in the postseason tournament. However, we know that they have the championship DNA in them. But can they win their third natty in four years? Only time will tell.