Dan Hurley spurned Hollywood for Storrs, and he reaffirmed his commitment to UConn on Monday.
Hurley's decision in June to reject the Lakers and stay with the Huskies came with the expectation that he would receive a shiny new contract that places him among the highest-paid coaches in college basketball.
Los Angeles' coaching search threw the NBA world through a loop before Game 1 of the NBA Finals when Hurley reportedly became the Lakers' top target. Previous reports suggested former NBA player and ESPN analyst JJ Redick was the frontrunner for the job, but the Hurley rumors picked up steam fast.
The Lakers reportedly offered Hurley a six-year, $70 million contract to be the franchise's next head coach, but he opted to remain in eastern Connecticut instead with the chance at a three-peat.
Now, UConn has rewarded its beloved coach with a new contract.
What was Hurley's deal with the UConn? The Sporting News takes a closer look below.
MORE: Why Dan Hurley was smart to turn down Lakers
Dan Hurley contract details
Hurley renegotiated his contract with UConn and will now earn $50 million over six years. This deal keeps him in Storrs for the foreseeable future, barring any NBA teams attempting to pluck him away with a lucrative offer.
Source: Following back-to-back national titles, UConn's Dan Hurley has officially signed a six-year, $50 million dollar contract extension.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 8, 2024
Official announcement expected soon.
Hurley signed on as the Huskies' head coach in 2018 after a six-season stint at Rhode Island, which included two NCAA Tournament appearances. He initially struggled in Storrs, but he's transformed the program into a perennial powerhouse with back-to-back national championships, the first team to do so since Florida in 2006 and 2007.
Hurley signed a six-year, $32.1 million contract extension following the 2022-23 season after winning the first of two NCAA titles. His latest contract is a restructuring of this, not an additional extension. Hurley will be a free agent after the 2028-29 season.
Dan Hurley statement: “I am humbled by this entire experience. At the end of the day, I am extremely proud of the championship culture we have built at Connecticut. We met as a team before today’s workout and our focus right now is on getting better this summer.”
— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) June 10, 2024
Hurley is well-respected as one of the most brilliant X's and O's minds in basketball. UConn needed him to keep the program on its terrific winning track, especially after losing four of five starters from the 2023-24 championship squad.
Hurley's new deal makes him one of the richest college basketball coaches.
Where Dan Hurley ranks among highest-paid college basketball coaches
Hurley's six-year, $32.1 million contract had him ranked in the top 10 of highest-paid college basketball coaches. He received a nearly $3 million annual raise for staying with UConn.
Hurley's six-year, $50 million contract makes him the second highest-paid coach in terms of average annual salary, though it's still considerably less than what he would have made with the Lakers.
Take a look at how he stacks up with the best coaches in the NCAA below.
| Pos. | Coach | Annual salary | School |
| 1 | Bill Self | $9.6 million | Kansas |
| 2 | Dan Hurley | $8.3 million | UConn |
| 3 | John Calipari | $7 million | Arkansas |
| 4 | Tom Izzo | $6.2 million | Michigan State |
| T5 | Bruce Pearl | $5.7 million | Auburn |
| T5 | Rick Barnes | $5.7 million | Tennessee |
| 7 | Scott Drew | $5.1 million | Baylor |
| 8 | Brad Underwood | $4.7 million | Illinois |
| 9 | Kelvin Sampson | $4.6 million | Houston |
| 10 | Nate Oats | $4.5 million | Alabama |
