Dan Hurley’s identify was linked to the North Carolina head coaching opening on Saturday forward of UConn‘s Final Four win over Illinois. 24 hours later — Hurley has put the rumors to mattress.
“I’m a UConn coach ’til the end,” Hurley told Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman. “Maybe the NBA someday down the line. But, I mean, I’m the UConn coach, man.”
Hurley’s identify comes up in coaching searches typically, and even blue blood applications need his providers. North Carolina reportedly has him excessive on their record regardless of his pro-UConn rhetoric. Kentucky appeared to see him in related gentle earlier than signing Mark Pope, and would seemingly be thought-about for any high-profile opening throughout the nation.
While he’s not ruling out the NBA someday, it seems that Hurley is blissful the place he’s in Storrs. After all, it’s not like his Huskies are struggling. They’re in the nationwide championship recreation for the third time in 4 seasons below Hurley as UConn seeks its third title below his steering. It’s clear that different applications need that profitable tradition he’s constructed at UConn.
For the Tar Heels, ESPN’s Pete Thamel revealed on Saturday that North Carolina is working its approach by means of two tiers of coaching candidates earlier than making a last resolution. Hurley is on the ‘aspirational’ record that features the Chicago Bulls’ Billy Donovan and Hurley’s opponent in the nationwide championship recreation — Michigan’s Dusty May.
In addition, the Tar Heels even have a record of what Thamel labeled “realisitc” candidates. This contains Scott Drew of Baylor, Grant McCasland of Texas Tech, Ben McCollum of Iowa and Mark Byington of Vanderbilt. However, these coaches may very well be pricey with Drew and McCollum’s buyouts sitting round $4 million and McCasland and Byington at greater than $10 million.
Thamel additionally stated that North Carolina’s resolution doesn’t essentially must coincide with the opening of the NCAA switch portal. The portal opens starting on April 7, nevertheless it’s now not a onerous deadline for the rent.
