Report: 'Zero percent chance' Dan Hurley leaves UConn for Kentucky

Cross another name off the Kentucky coaching search list, as UConn‘s Dan Hurley is reportedly out.

According to a report from CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, “there is a 0 percent chance Dan Hurley will leave UConn for Kentucky.” The report added, “It’s not happening.”

One source reportedly went as far as to tell Norlander, “They could offer $20 million a year and he wouldn’t go.”

Hurley’s name rose toward the forefront again on Thursday following the news that Scott Drew planned to remain at Baylor. Kentucky fans had renewed belief, at least briefly, that they might be able to land the two-time defending national champion instead of the 21-year Bears coach.

Hurley would have been quite the catch, following the departure of John Calipari for the Arkansas job.

He is coming off the best stretch of his career, having won back-to-back national championships by absolutely blowing through the NCAA Tournament both times. As a result of the coaching job he did, Hurley was named the 2024 Naismith Coach of the Year and the 2024 Sporting News Coach of the Year.

The sheer amount of success Hurley has had at UConn since taking over has been breath-taking, too. After going 16-17 in his first season, UConn went 19-12 before COVID-19 caused the cancellation of the postseason.

Each year since, though, Hurley has had a team in the NCAA Tournament.

It started with two opening-round exits, then quickly proceeded into a pair of national championship runs. The Huskies won 31 games in 2022-23 en route to the title, then won 37 games this season in their repeat bid.

Hurley had been linked to the Kentucky job from the outset, but there hadn’t been much public corroboration of any mutual interest.

With him out of the picture, former Florida coach Billy Donovan has emerged as the betting favorite to land the job. Donovan is currently coaching the Chicago Bulls in the NBA.