Dan Hurley chooses three-peat chance over Lakers: What it says about college basketball to NBA pipeline

After a weekend of thought, UConn’s Dan Hurley turned down the Los Angeles Lakers offer to make the leap from college basketball to the NBA. Now firmly committed to coaching for a third consecutive national title, he has already cemented his name in the history of the sport by making a bold choice.

When Hurley led UConn to a national championship in 2023, he put the Huskies in the blue-blood conversation. The next season, he led a new-look squad with some familiar faces and new talent to even higher achievement and secured the honor of back-to-back champion. An achievement not seen in college basketball since Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan got it done at Florida in 2006 and 2007.

Like Hurley, Donovan chose to return for a chance to three-peat but fell short after seeing large portions of his roster head to the NBA Draft. Even after turning down initial advances from the professional ranks, there were still suitors ready to hand him the reins when he ultimately decided to make the leap in 2015. Then again, Mike Krzyzewski turned down the NBA and never looked back.

These are hardly the only college basketball coaches to draw interest from the NBA, and the trend is unlikely to end anytime soon as the rigors of college pick up and NBA investment makes a coach’s job as simple as ever.

Dan Hurley’s unique opportunity at UConn

For Dan Hurley, there was no bad option on the table. He was able to choose between the pursuit of the NCAA’s first men’s basketball three-peat since the 1960’s and 70’s, when Hall of Famer John Wooden led the charge, or coaching first-ballot Hall of Famer LeBron James and one of the NBA’s most storied franchises on a lucrative contract.

The first option obviously prevailed, making it the most relevant to the discussion. Hurley had already invested time, money and resources in the UConn roster.

Alex Karaban recently announced his return for the 2024-25 season after withdrawing from the NBA Draft, setting up the team as a true contender. Also returning from the rotation last season are guard Hassan Diarra and Samson Johnson, with Solomon Ball, Jayden Ross and Jaylin Stewart all ready to take a step forward in the rotation as well. To help offset the outgoing talent of Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan, the Huskies added freshmen Liam McNeeley, Ahmad Nowell and Isaiah Abraham. Transfers Tarris Reed and Aidan Mahaney polish up the roster.

Altogether, the team looks ready to compete at the top of the sport once again. UConn is currently ranked No. 4 in On3’s way-too-early Top 25 and recently projected as a 1-seed in On3’s way-too-early bracketology.

With Dan Hurley picking UConn over Lakers, college basketball avoids June madness.

If Hurley is able to complete the three-peat bid, he would assert himself in the conversation of best college basketball coaches in history. Three titles in seven seasons at UConn would place him alongside John Wooden, Mike Krzyzewski, Adolph Rupp, Roy Williams, Jim Calhoun and Bob Knight with that many titles – only behind Wooden’s seven straight with that many in a row.

Even is he does not make history like that, Hurley can still walk into a meeting with any recruit or transfer and pitch that he chose UConn’s situation over the Kentucky Wildcats and the Los Angeles Lakers in one offseason. That would seem to be a good starting point.

Dan Hurley to the NBA?

Staying at UConn another season, or for as long as he chooses, will do nothing to harm Dan Hurley’s future prospects in the NBA. After all, any team watching over the weekend now knows that there is serious interest in making the professional leap if the right opportunity presents itself.

Executives in every major market now have a note that they could possibly acquire him under different circumstances.

Perhaps the Los Angeles Lakers offer would have sounded even more intriguing if it came in an offseason which did not present such a unique opportunity to create history. Or, maybe the promise of a simpler job description sounds more appealing if the hard work was not already done.

The life of an NBA coach is widely considered easier. The modern high-major coach spends the offseason fund-raising with boosters, hitting the recruiting trail and building the roster largely from scratch each year. Meanwhile, their NBA counterparts can study film, work on the development of young players, and sometimes even enjoy a vacation.

Different coaches are suited for different roles, but the rigors of the college game make it a ‘young man’s game’ more so than ever before.

Some coaches prefer the control of running an organization from top to bottom, just look at two Hall of Famers who moved back to college after a brief NBA stint – John Calipari and Rick Pitino. Others, like Billy Donovan and Quin Snyder have made the move and thrived with the more basketball-centric role.

How Hurley would perform in the role is a question which can only be answered if he ultimately makes the jump. While it will not be this season, the rumors are unlikely to die down next season, or the season after.

Just look at how NFL teams continued to pursue Jim Harbaugh.

Future college to NBA candidates

Of course Dan Hurley will remain the hot name for NBA openings for some time now, but there are other candidates who are sure to draw attention at some point in the future. Whether they choose to remain where they are, or seek to coach professionals, inclusion on this list is based on a number of factors.

From a long track record of success, to a play-style suited for the NBA, and even a history of league connections, there are plenty of different coaches who meet the criteria to pop up on a short-list.

Bill Self seems like the least likely option given the amount of success he has experienced without making the jump, as well as his continued success in the NIL and transfer portal era. However, already in the Hall of Fame, he would be an asset coaching at any level if he ever feels the desire.

Among coaches having the most success in college basketball, Nate Oats stands out as a potential NBA candidate based on his style of play. The spacing on offense mimics what successful teams want to showcase and his analytic-focused approach matches the data emphasized by many front offices.

Similar to Hurley, the biggest question for Oats in the NBA would likely be his ability to coach with the same level of intensity in practice and on the floor.

Jerry Stackhouse would take a different path from college to the NBA after parting ways with Vanderbilt this offseason. However, former players and former assistants all agree he has the acumen to coach professional basketball if he wants.

Including new BYU head coach Kevin Young, who came from the Phoenix Suns, seems almost like cheating given his candidacy for jobs prior to his college jump.