Dan Hurley, the highly successful coach who led UConn to two consecutive national championships, was quickly mentioned as a potential candidate for the New York Knicks head coaching role following Tom Thibodeau`s departure. This speculation arises a year after Hurley famously turned down an offer from the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to Dom Amore of the Hartford Courant, Hurley was asked about the Knicks opening and offered a sharp, concise reply: “Not another summer of that.” The question about his interest wasn`t unexpected, given his previous brush with the NBA last offseason and his strong regional connections. A native of Jersey City, N.J., Hurley grew up close to Madison Square Garden and has spent his entire coaching career exclusively in the Northeast.
Last summer, Hurley received a substantial six-year, $70 million offer from the Lakers. He engaged deeply with the opportunity, meeting with Lakers executives, speaking with LeBron James, and visiting team facilities. After significant consideration, he ultimately decided to remain at UConn for the 2024-25 season, describing it as a “hard choice” despite the clear NBA opportunity. His passion for the college game ultimately drew him back.
His return to UConn for the past season was initially driven by the prospect of a third straight national title attempt. While that historic streak isn`t active this year, Hurley conveyed excitement about the roster he has put together in Storrs, Conn., mentioning this immediately after addressing the Knicks situation.
“Two days into practice, not everyone is on campus, but we`re thrilled with the way we`ve been able to put it together,” Hurley told the Hartford Courant. He emphasized the importance of retaining key players like the sophomore class, including Alex Karaban (“A.K.”) and Tarris Reed, and highlighted the successful recruitment to address a significant need at the point guard position.
Boasting 15 years of experience as a Division I head coach, Hurley reached the pinnacle of college basketball just five years into his tenure at UConn. His back-to-back championships in 2023 and 2024 firmly established him as one of the top active coaches in the sport. He has now guided the Huskies to the NCAA Tournament for five consecutive seasons, holding an impressive 165-69 overall record during his time with the program.
The New York Knicks are searching for a new head coach shortly after being eliminated from the NBA playoffs in the Eastern Conference finals. Their significant investment in a talented roster resulted in their best postseason performance since 2000, but falling short of the NBA Finals was viewed as a disappointment, triggering a leadership change. Tom Thibodeau finished his five seasons with the team with a 226-174 record and had previously earned a Coach of the Year award as he helped guide the franchise back toward contention.
Jasper Hawthorne