Hurley: Using Lakers as leverage was 'one of the worst takes I've heard'

Dan Hurley reportedly turned down a six-year, $70-million contract offer from the Los Angeles Lakers to remain head coach at UConn.

But the Huskies' lead man denied the notion that he was using the Lakers to get a raise from the school.

"One of the worst takes I've heard is this was a leverage play by me to improve my situation at UConn," Hurley said Thursday during an appearance on "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz." "I don't need leverage here. We've won back-to-back national championships at this place."

Hurley added that he's had a potential new contract in place with UConn for a "couple of weeks" and that his salary had been agreed upon for a while. The two-time national championship coach said the two sides are working toward an agreement on an NIL package and staff salaries.

"The sense or the idea that this was some conspiracy to get me a sweeter deal at UConn is just lazy," Hurley said. "It was truly a gut-wrenching decision for me."

Hurley signed a six-year, $32.1-million contract following the school's 2023 national championship run.

Before meeting with the Lakers, the 51-year-old had an offer on the table from the Huskies that would've made him the third-highest-paid coach in college basketball after Bill Self and John Calipari, a source told Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68.

Hurley has spent the last six seasons at Connecticut, posting a 141-58 mark. The Huskies are looking to become the second program in history to win three straight national titles.

The legendary John Wooden guided UCLA to seven straight Division I crowns from 1967-73.