Less than a year ago, Dan Hurley was rumored to be the favorite to become the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. He turned it down, and stayed at UConn in hopes of winning a historic three straight NCAA championships.
Now, with the New York Knicks firing head coach Tom Thibodeau, Hurley found himself once again in the middle of rumors about another potential job in the NBA. However, according to Dom Amore of the Hartofrd Courant, Hurley has no interest.
“Addressed more directly, he just waved it off. ‘Not another summer of that,’ he said,” Amore wrote on Wednesday, quoting Hurley. “That’s should be enough to calm any fears that Hurley would entertain the possibility of leaving UConn and coaching the Knicks.”
Hurley has been one of the most successful, yet polarizing, coaches in recent college basketball memory. Despite falling short this season after an incredible back-to-back title run in 2023 and 2024, he remains committed to the Huskies. Hurley signed a contract extension with the University of Connecticut in 2024 for $50 million over six years.
Hurley In Constant NBA Rumors
Prior to the Los Angeles Lakers hiring JJ Redick last summer, Hurley was a top candidate to coach the then LeBron James and Anthony Davis led team. He ultimately turned down the job, and signed the massive extension with UConn less than a month later.
Now a year later, the Knicks coaching vacancy found Hurley tied to another NBA coaching job. With multiple stars and rising expectations, Hurley seemed like a natural successor from Thibodeau to coach the Knicks.
However, as quickly as the rumors began, they were shot down, and confirmed by Amore’s reporting. While the fiery Hurley coaching this iteration of the New York Knicks sounds extremely intriguing, he reiterated that his focus is solely on his current job.
“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 said, via Amore’s reporting. “Hurl(”), Tarris (Reed Jr.), too, those were big for us and then to address point guard in a major way, a big need area.”
A switch from Thibodeau to Hurley makes sense on paper. Both are intense, emotional coaches with demanding styles. Additionally, Hurley’s sideline energy in the New York market would have made for must-watch basketball.
Regardless of how compelling it sounds, Hurley is committed to his role at UConn.
New York’s Coaching Candidates
So far, there is no clear favorite to who the next head coach of the Knicks will be. It has been speculated that they will target an experienced NBA coach like Michael Malone, Mike Budenholzer, or Taylor Jenkins.
It has also been rumored that they are keen on someone outside the NBA landscape, like former Villanova coach Jay Wright. He would be paired back up with players Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges, a group that became national champions less than a decade ago.
The Knicks’ front office has also been reportedly interested in elevating someone to their first head coaching job. Johnnie Bryant is a potential candidate. He was previously with New York in 2023, and was a top candidate for the Phoenix Suns head coach job.
The job of being the head coach of the New York Knicks, especially with this currently constructed roster, is no small task. Thibodeau helped the team reach a peak they hadn’t seen in 25 years, but was pushed out just days later.
