Dan Hurley Bluntly Reveals Why He Turned Down Knicks Coaching Job
As the New York Knicks persist in their search for a new head coach after firing Tom Thibodeau, the team appears no closer to finding the right candidate now than they were more than three weeks ago.
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On Wednesday, UConn head coach Dan Hurley, who famously declined an opportunity to lead the Los Angeles Lakers last year, explained why the Knicks' gig wasn't right for him.
"I'm a college coach," Hurley said.
He added that the season was difficult for him and the entire program, from "the staff, the players, the fans, just everyone that supports us." After the national attention Hurley received when he was offered and declined the Lakers' job last year, he plainly said that the Knicks' job was "not even something I thought about (or) considered."
UConn, under Hurley's tutelage, won back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024. After that second title, the Lakers came knocking to offer Hurley the position.
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Last year, he explained to ESPN that it wasn't a "leverage play" to get more money out of UConn, but instead, he outlined what the school means to him and the connections that come with it.
UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley. David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
"But to leave a place that you feel the way we do and the family connection with my wife, my sons, my mother-in-law, my father...I know how much it means to my dad to go to the Big East tournament and come to 10 UConn games a year at home, sitting courtside, when I'm coaching against Rick Pitino," Hurley said.
In the most recent NCAA Tournament, the Huskies saw their season come to a premature end with a second-round loss to the Florida Gators. In seven seasons with the Huskies, Hurley has a 165-69 regular-season record, and UConn has made five straight NCAA Tournaments.
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Related: Heartbroken Dan Hurley Struggles to Utter a Word About His Deceased Brother
Related: Dan Hurley Sends Message on UConn's Three Newest Commits
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
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