UConn men’s basketball is on the brink of becoming a college basketball blue blood.
With five national championships and a steady production of top talent, from Kemba Walker to Shabazz Napier, the Huskies are joining the ranks of the elite. And Dan Hurley is the perfect coach to lead them.
“A winner,” freshman guard Stephon Castle said Sunday.
A victory over Purdue Monday night in the Men’s NCAA Tournament title game would be Hurley’s second straight championship in just six seasons in Storrs, where he has found the secret sauce of passion, tough love and reverence from his players.
Forward Alex Karaban is not surprised by his coach’s success.
“He’s really a winner,” he said. “He’s won at countless places and he’s been a winner as a player and comes from a winning family. I think now is just perfect for him (because) he’s getting the recognition that he deserves.”
He’s a winner with a big personality. Everywhere he goes, eyes are on him. From the countless expressions to the exaggerated and dramatic flailing of his arms to the cracking of jokes in practice and press conferences, Hurley is one of one.
That passion is contagious and players are fully committed to the coach who earned the Naismith Coach of the Year crown Sunday.
“I’m a testament to just the power of having the influence of having an incredible coach in your life who happens to be your father, too,” Hurley said Sunday after accepting the award with his family by his side. “The power of having that incredible coach who pushes you and teaches you to get the most out of yourself and teaches you how to compete and strive and push and not make excuses.
“Then I had to find empathy and compassion on my own, because that’s not really my dad’s strength.”
Laughter filled the room.
“But all of that other stuff, you crushed it! Thanks, Dad.”
Hurley comes from basketball royalty. His dad, Robert Hurley Sr., was a legendary high school basketball coach at powerhouse St. Anthony High School in New Jersey. His resume speaks for itself with 28 state championships and three USA Today National Coach of the Year titles.
And the family tree doesn’t end there.
Dan Hurley’s older brother, Bobby, had a standout collegiate career at Duke University where he won two straight national championships under legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski and is the NCAA all-time assist leader with 1,076. Bobby Hurley then became the coach at Buffalo and is now the coach at Arizona State.
After playing at Seton Hall, Dannty Hurley began his coaching career under his father at St. Anthony. From there, things took off.
After serving six years as the coach at Rhode Island, where he had two NCAA Tournament berths and an NIT berth, he landed the opportunity to take his talent to Storrs and take over, at the time, a struggling UConn program.
Despite his success, he said he is still learning from his brother and father.
“I think, number one, we talked constantly about the position, right?” Dan Hurley said about the conversations the three have. “All the tactics, the psychology, leadership, the player development piece, how long you’re practicing, maybe some wrinkles and things that we both are doing on offense or defense that we like.”
