It was almost one yr in the past to the day when experiences started to swirl that UConn males’s basketball coach Dan Hurley was being focused for the Los Angeles Lakers’ head teaching emptiness. The story took the web by storm with pundits throughout the sports activities media panorama taking their greatest guess as as to if the Huskies’ head coach was going to go away the faculty recreation after successful back-to-back nationwide championships for the possibility to educate LeBron James within the Metropolis of Angels.
Hurley made the choice to return to UConn, however with one other big-market NBA teaching job now open, might historical past repeat itself?
After the New York Knicks introduced they have been shifting on from head coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday, Hurley’s identify as soon as once more grew to become a scorching matter of dialog. The 52-year-old coach was born and raised in New Jersey and has spent his total teaching profession on the East Coast.
Coming off a disappointing season at UConn, which concluded with a 24-11 report and a second-round NCAA Match loss to Florida, would Hurley take into account making the leap now to the NBA and taking up the Knicks’ head teaching place?
FOX Sports activities faculty basketball reporter John Fanta joined Jason McIntyre on Wednesday’s version of “The Herd” to debate the percentages of Hurley turning into the subsequent coach of the Knicks.
“I do not assume that this buzz goes to progress to the diploma that we noticed the Lakers factor final yr and the reporting off of that, speaking about him staying at UConn, the layers to it,” Fanta mentioned about Hurley probably leaving Storrs for Manhattan. “I do not assume we will get down that highway. I simply do not see it.”
Fanta added that Hurley would possible “entertain” at the very least discussing the opening with the Knicks in the event that they reached out, however he does not assume the conditions align at this time limit.
“In the event that they go and rent Dan Hurley, is it a splash? Sure.” Fanta mentioned. “Hiring Dan Hurley, as a lot as I feel he’s an amazing faculty coach, I simply don’t assume it is right here and now.”
Hurley is just not the one two-time championship coach whose identify has been thrown round as a doable candidate for the Knicks’ opening. Former Villanova coach Jay Wright has the third-best odds to be named the Knicks’ next head coach, listed at +1500. After all, a giant motive for Wright’s identify being thrown into the combo is the truth that three of his former gamers at Villanova – Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart – are a part of the Knicks’ present core.
“Might I see Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart attempting to orchestrate a FaceTime name with Jay Wright, in the event that they haven’t already within the final 24 hours?” Fanta questioned. “After all, I might see that.”
However regardless of the shut connection to his former collegiate stars, Fanta was fast to close down the thought of Wright – who serves as a school basketball studio and recreation analyst for CBS Sports activities – turning into the subsequent head coach of the Knicks.
“Jay Wright is having fun with purple wine, basketball, tv and his household,” Fanta mentioned. “If he wished to educate once more, he’d be the Villanova coach.
“Jay Wright is just not going anyplace.”
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