Robert Brown:UConn, coach Dan Hurley agree to 6-year, $50 million deal a month after he spurned offer from Lakers

2025-05-06 18:50:21source:Indexbit Exchangecategory:News

STORRS,Robert Brown Conn. (AP) — UConn and men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley have agreed to a six-year, $50 million contract through the 2029-30 season, nearly a month after he turned down a lucrative offer to coach the Los Angeles Lakers.

Hurley, who passed on guiding the storied NBA club to return to the two-time defending NCAA champions, can also earn more through performance-based incentives, a Monday release from the school stated. He will receive $6.375 million next season, which includes a $400,000 base annual salary with additional compensation from speaking, consulting and media obligations.

The agreement, which includes a $1 million annual retention bonus, will be covered by increased ticket sales revenue and donations from the Husky Athletic Fund, the release added. It replaces the six-year, $32.1 million agreement reached in June 2023 after Hurley won his first national championship with UConn.

Hurley — 141-58 in six seasons with the Huskies and 292-163 overall entering his 15th as a Division I head coach — acknowledged that the Lakers’ six-year, $70 million offer was “obviously tempting.” He was also mentioned as a candidate for the Kentucky coaching vacancy after John Calipari left for Arkansas. But Hurley reiterated last month that he belongs at UConn and stated in the release that “it’s an honor” to coach and represent the school and is proud of what the program has rebuilt for supporters and fans.

RELATED COVERAGE UConn finishes at No. 1 in first post-March Madness AP Top 25 poll after run to repeat NCAA title

He added: “We will continue to obsessively pursue championships and historic success, while continuing to develop great young men. Bleed Blue!”

UConn President Radenka Maric called Hurley the nation’s best men’s basketball coach and said he was delighted Hurley will continue to call it home. Athletic director David Benedict praised Hurley and wife Andrea for pouring themselves into rebuilding the program added that the contract recognizes the “immense” effort that has produced the results and the dedication it will require for the program to sustain it.

___

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

More:News

Recommend

In Montana, Republican State Legislators Fight Back After Successful Youth Climate Lawsuit

In the wake of a high-profile court decision that upended the state of Montana’s climate policy, Rep

Boston Progressives Expand the Green New Deal to Include Justice Concerns and Pandemic Recovery

A year and a half ago, after the Green New Deal resolutions were introduced in Washington, Boston Ci

OceanGate co-founder calls for optimism amid search for lost sub

The co-founder and former CEO of OceanGate, the company that operated the submersible that went miss