Woj Finally Reveals Real Reason Dan Hurley Rejected Lakers

Posted on by Basketball Forever Staff
Dan Hurley

Dan Hurley caused quite a stir when he rejected a six-year, $70 million offer from the Lakers to become their next head coach.

The deal was worth more than double what Hurley is currently earning, but he elected to stay at UConn instead.

Now, as the dust settles following the initial news, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has provided details as to why exactly Hurley turned down the Lakers’ offer.

Woj spilled the beans in a conversation with SportsCenter’s Scott Van Pelt late on Monday night.

“A few factors, Scott, starting with the chance to win a third straight national championship, do something that hasn’t been done since John Wooden’s Bruins,” Wojnarowski said. “You’ll probably never get a chance to do that again as a head coach.”

“But I think the timing of going to the NBA… I think he thinks he will be in the NBA someday, but he wasn’t ready to go now.”

Van Pelt then raised the possibility of the NBA’s extreme demands being another potential factor.

“Hurley’s a guy who grinds out every possession,” Van Pelt said. “I just wondered about the enormity of just what the NBA requires of you. And did he have the gear? In other words, I’m talking about an ability to not grind out every half-court possession on some Tuesday night in Memphis. You know what I’m saying? Do you think part of that landed with him?”

Wojnarowski strongly agreed.

“You’re exactly right, Scott,” he said. “And I think that gets to preparedness at 51 years old. And it’s not just, you know, that Tuesday night in Sacramento or Memphis, but it’s the practices. It’s the referees. It’s working with management, something you don’t have to do as a college coach. You are the GM.”

For now, it’s back to the drawing board for the Lakers, as their coaching search continues.

JJ Redick and James Borrego are both reportedly still under consideration for the job.

READ MORE: Lakers Failed Pursuit of Dan Hurley Called Out As ‘Embarrassing’

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