Vision now a reality
Championship-level culture is in place thanks to Hurley
From the moment he took over as Uconn’s head coach in 2018, Dan Hurley had an idea of what he wanted to build in Storrs and how he wanted to do it.
Embracing the program’s rich tradition, running with advice he gleaned from its godfather, Jim Calhoun, Hurley weaved in his maniacal focus on excellence and consistency to create what he has now — a group of like-minded individuals who continue to push his championship-level standard.
Before he took over, Uconn had strung together consecutive losing seasons and struggled to compete in the American Conference. Hurley, with a proven track record as a program builder, kept 10 of the 15 players from the roster he inherited, 69.3% of its scoring, and his first Uconn team (15-17, 6-12 AAC) wasn’t much better.
“I just knew that first team — and it wasn’t easy, the losing was tough, but I’d been through it before, … For me, (it was) just the understanding that that first group would be the foundation. The effort we put into them, the time, was going to lay a foundation of trust with future teams. Although we didn’t win as much as we all wanted to on that first year’s team, I think we established a way of doing things, we established a credibility and a trust in our players that we were gonna push hard for them and give them every chance to be successful,” he said.
“And when recruits were taking unofficial visits while that team was around, and they asked those players what we were all about, they would vouch for us — and that’s not why we did it. We did it because the job of a coach is to take what you have and make the absolute best out of it, create great relationships and just maximize your time together.”
Hurley brought in two top-100 recruits in James Bouknight and Akok Akok for his second season and the Huskies won 19 games, finishing the season winning five in a row before both the AAC and NCAA Tournaments were canceled due to the COVID pandemic. Once Uconn returned to the Big East the following year, the program earned its first NCAA Tournament bid in four years and has been a regular in the dance since.
After two first-round exits, Uconn finally broke through last year, won all six games by an average of 20 points and dominated its way to a fifth national title. Despite losing three pro-level starters, Hurley has the Huskies back as favorites to win it all again.
“The biggest thing for these guys is that they have guys back that are culture creators and those culture creators then teach these young guys what it takes, and then with the portal you can find a fit,” ESPN college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg said. “If you don’t have the culture creators you’re basically starting over every year. The great thing that Danny’s been able to do is that they have guys that have experienced a championship. Having those core guys here, they can explain to the (new) players the intensity and what it is to be a Uconn player.
“This place isn’t for everyone. If you’re not lost in the game, if you’re not lost in winning, if you’re not wanting to be a good teammate, Danny’s not the right guy to play for. That’s just the way it is, you’ve got to share his passion, his commitment, his energy, and embrace it.”
That energy, which is evident on the sideline in practice and in games, for better or worse, is what drew comparisons to a young Calhoun before Hurley ever took the Uconn job.
“He is as complete a coach as I’ve seen in a really long time. Some people talk about family, some people talk about culture, some people talk about identity, some people talk about commitment — they live it. He holds them accountable for everything every single day,” Greenberg said.
Hurley’s style attracts players — like Cam Spencer out of the transfer portal or Stephon Castle, the highlevel recruit — who know exactly what they’re walking into. They’re willing to prioritize team success over the individual — especially since Hurley’s methods now have the hardware backing their legitimacy.
With all five starters averaging at least 10 points and four rebounds, the team eighth in the nation in assists per game (17.8), Uconn is in position to claim its first regular season title in 18 years. Looking at end-of-season awards, the ever-balanced Huskies have at least three players (Tristen Newton, Spencer and Alex Karaban) with a legit argument for first team all-league, a virtual lock for freshman of the year in Castle and a potential first coach of the year award for Hurley.
“Our mindset is more ‘cult-like’ than it is culture,” Hurley said. “When people watch us at shootaround, when they watch us at practice, when they see us perform, we want to look more like a cult in a positive way — a positive cult — everyone saying the same things, thinking the same things, moving in the same direction.”