Hurley Shuts Down Kentucky Rumors: UConn Coach Dismisses Job Speculation with a Laugh
GLENDALE, Arizona — On Monday night, Dan Hurley became an uncommon figure in college basketball history as he became the third coach to win the title twice after John Wooden’s UCLA dynasty ended in the 1970s. Hurley also found himself in another very small club after the game, which was Connecticut’s 12th consecutive NCAA Tournament victory by double digits, as the team defeated Purdue 75-60. Immediately after, Hurley had to deal with the potential of departing for another program. That is what happens when you are the sport’s most desirable coach and the Kentucky position unexpectedly opens up the night before the title game.
“I don’t think that’s on my mind,” Hurley told The Athletic. When asked more directly if there was any way he’d entertain the Kentucky job, Hurley responded: “No way.”
Following Monday night’s championship game, UConn athletic director David Benedict informed The Athletic that the initiative will “everything we can to remain in position to win championships.”
“The market is the market and Kentucky is obviously Kentucky, but last time I checked, we won the last two national championships and we’ve got six of them,” Benedict said. “So I think UConn is a pretty good job and Dan’s doing an unbelievable job. We obviously hope that he’s with us for a long time. UConn has a tradition of keeping coaches that have reached Hall-of-Fame level success at UConn for a long period of time — coach (Jim) Calhoun, coach (Geno) Auriemma. I’m sure they had plenty of opportunities to leave and we certainly hope that Dan follows suit.”
As one of the two winningest teams in college basketball history and eight-time national champion, Kentucky suddenly finds itself in need of a new coach after Hall of Famer John Calipari shocked everyone late on Sunday night by accepting the same position at Arkansas. He had signed a 10-year, $86 million contract in 2019, but had not advanced past the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats need to make this hire right now since their fan base is impatient and has vast pockets. They also need to live up to the expectations of its blue bloods.
Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart needs to take big swings, and Hurley might be the biggest swing. He just became the first coach to go back-to-back since Billy Donovan at Florida in 2006 and 2007. Mike Krzyzewski and Duke also repeated in 1991 and 1992. After his first title last season, Hurley inked a new six-year, $32.1 million contract that pays him an average of $5.35 million and peaks out at $5.8 million in Year 6. If UConn loses him to another school after this season, they will be owed a buyout of $7.5 million.
Given Kentucky’s membership in the money-printing SEC and Connecticut’s precarious financial state, it makes sense that the university that was supposed to pay Calipari $9 million annually upon the expiration of his previous contract may outbid the Huskies by a sizable margin if Hurley is concerned about money.
(Photo: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)