Geno Auriemma revealed his encounter with UConn’s coach Dan Hurley last night. Striking off a conversation with Hurley, Auriemma started off with, “Hey, I think you can win a lot of championships with the Lakers…more so than a guy who’s never coached,” hinting at the rumors about JJ Redick‘s lack of coaching experience and his potential partnership with the Lakers. This left Hurley with no words.

Hurley, meanwhile, looked at him and nodded at the hilarious comment passed by Auriemma, after which both of them burst into laughter. As Auriemma woke up the next morning, he looked at the news only to find Hurley’s name in association with the Lakers. In a recent interview with Dan Patrick Show, Geno Auriemma said, “Voila, I don’t know what’s going on. You know, this is really funny. I have no idea what’s going on.” He added, “It’ll be a bad day for UConn for sure,” something almost everyone aware of Hurley’s contribution to UConn is worried about.

Notably, the New Jersey native and son of Naismith Hall of Fame Coach Bob Hurley joined the Huskies in 2018. In his six-year tenure with the team, Dan Hurley not only nurtured each player but also led them to four NCAA tournament appearances. He not only led UConn to their 2023 and 2024 national championship wins but also helped them become the first team since the Gators to defend a national title in the last 17 years. Now, this success seems to be short-lived as Hurley is rumored to be the Lakers’ next coach after Darvin Ham.

Lakers’ targeting Dan Hurley amid unexpected rumors

Undoubtedly, Hurley being on the Lakers’ radar is something unexpected that no one saw coming until it was revealed by an ESPN reporter. The Lakers, in contrast, had this idea cooking up since the beginning, as Hurley stands out on every criterion the Lakers have. Extending from staff to Lakers stars, Hurley seems to be a universally beloved figure.

Not only this, but he also has the approval of Lakers’ star LeBron James. “He’s so damn good!!! Along with his staff. Super creative with their O! Love it,” said LeBron James as a response to JJ Redick’s podcast video. However, there’s a major hurdle between the Lakers and Dan Hurley’s partnership: UConn.

To make this happen, the Lakers have a preliminary contract ready to attract Dan Hurley’s attention toward the Lakers’ head coach opportunity. But now the question is: will this contract be enough to break the six-year bond between Hurley and UConn? What do you think? Comment down below!

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.