The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Hurley excited and eager to begin
STORRS — Dan Hurley stepped to the podium at the Werth Family Champions Center for the first time as UConn’s head men’s basketball coach on Friday afternoon and had just one opening remark. “Wow.”
There he was, standing in the type of practice facility his prior two programs could only dream of, introducing himself as the head coach of the program used to dream of. “It’s been a secret I’ve kept from my brother, Bobby,” Hurley said of the former Duke star, “but UConn’s been my favorite basketball program, as a fan.”
There was Jim Calhoun, the Hall of Fame coach he is often compared to, watching approvingly from one side of the gym. On the other side were the four national championship banners on the wall, along with the images of Ray Allen, Rip Hamilton, Kemba Walker and other hallowed products of the program.
Wow, indeed.
“I knew what it was before, but walking in here, seeing the banners — I know what it is to be the coach of UConn and what’s expected,” he said. “Just thinking about the places I’ve been that didn’t have anywhere near the advantages, the resources, the facilities, the history — I’ve never had a job that has had all this.”
Hurley, 45, is exactly where he wants to be. Sure, he loved it at Rhode Island, where turned around the program the last six years and brought the Rams to consecutive NCAA tournaments the past two. He may have also loved it at Pittsburgh, which sent out a contingent to meet him earlier this
week and offered him a deal worth well over $3 million a year.
“I thought long and hard about (Pitt),” Hurley said. “I just felt like passing up the dream was too hard.”
Hurley has signed a sixyear, incentive-laden deal that pays him $2.75 million the first year and could pay up to $3.5 million by the sixth. He can also earn as much as $1 million in further incentives each year ($400,000 for winning a national championship, etc.). In total, Hurley could earn at least $18.75 million, with incentives.
But you truly get the sense it’s not all about the money.
“I wanted to get to a place where the expectations are not just to make the NCAA tournament or maybe win a game and feel great about that,” he said. “That’s certainly a great accomplishment. But I love being in an environment where there’s high expectations.”
Whether this ends up being a steppingstone job for Hurley, or if he follows in Calhoun’s footsteps and remains with the program for 20-plus years, the school is positive it got the right man.
“At least in this point in time, there was no more important a decision I’ve made professionally than this one,” athletic director David Benedict said. “I understood and appreciate the significance of this, which only puts more pressure on you to get results.”
Benedict and president Susan Herbst had a “fantastic” meeting with Hurley on Monday.
“It only confirmed a lot of the things you can observe and that you talk to a lot of different people about him,” Benedict said.
Of course, there’s plenty of work to do. UConn is coming off a 14-18 debacle of a season, after going 16-17 the previous year. Off to the side of the podium on Friday sat all the players slated to return to UConn next season. Hurley said they all have a place on the roster next season if they want it — and if they can handle it.
“I tried to philosophically explain to the group who I am, my background, how this program is gonna operate,” he said. “I think it will really hit home for them when we hit the court for their first individual workout. My first individual workout makes quite an impression. You’ll find out how bad you really want to be great in that first 40minute workout.”
He added he told the players: “I feel like we can have a much better year than we had last year. If you guys fully commit to the way I run my program, a number of you guys — the Jalen Adamses — the legacy you leave behind can be much different if we get a full commitment to everyone in this room.”
Adams said that he hadn’t decided what he wants to do. However, he said he definitely wasn’t going to transfer, so the only option would be to turn pro. He sounded like he was intrigued by the possibility of playing for Hurley, especially after talking to some friends from the URI team about the coach.
“All of those guys raved about him, how he’s a great guy and a great coach and he pushes you to the limit,” Adams said. “I think that would be great for me, personally, and even better for our whole team. Our team just needs to be pushed by a coach who’ll demand them to be in the gym. In my meeting with Coach Hurley, he was pretty much emphasizing that.”
Hurley said he will soon reach out to UConn’s two incoming recruits, 6-foot-7 sharpshooter Emmitt Matthews, Jr. of Tacoma, Washington and 6-10 forward Lukas Kisunas of Brewster Academy, to gauge what’s best for them and the program.
UConn, of course, is also being investigated by the NCAA for alleged violations. Hurley is aware, but not overly concerned.
“I didn’t ask questions about the APR before I took the Rhode Island job, and then I found out that present under my Christmas tree,” he noted. “So, I was a lot more prepared going into this interview. I felt comfortable with what David and the president had laid forth in terms of what (may) potentially happen, worst-case scenario. It didn’t affect my decision at all.”