With Kentucky job opening up, Dan Hurley laughs off question about leaving UConn after second straight title win
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The pie-in-the-sky idea that Kentucky could lure Dan Hurley away from UConn almost certainly isn’t going to happen.
Hurley made that clear during his postgame news conference Monday night after the Huskies became the first men’s college basketball program in 17 years to win back-to-back national championships.
Asked if he would “entertain conversations with anybody else that might have a job coming open” on Tuesday, Hurley laughed at that idea and said, “Yeah, I don’t think that’s a concern.” Hurley then appeared to allude to the fact that his wife Andrea did not want to leave their home in Connecticut to move even farther from her native New Jersey.
“My wife, you should have her answer that,” Hurley said, still chuckling. “She’ll answer that question better than I can.”
The Kentucky job is expected to come open as soon as Tuesday if negotiations between John Calipari and Arkansas proceed without a hitch. On Sunday night, Calipari reportedly was finalizing a five-year deal with the Razorbacks, allowing him to start fresh after four straight disappointing seasons at Kentucky with only one NCAA tournament victory.
Hurley is not the only potential Kentucky candidate to make it clear on Monday that he does not intend to entertain interest from the Wildcats. Alabama coach Nate Oats ended speculation with a statement on Monday, telling fans that he was “fully committed to this team and to this University.” Former Villanova coach Jay Wright also shot down speculation that he'd return to college basketball to take the job.
