Hurley has agreed to a six-year deal for more than $30 million, according to a free sports picks website. The Huskies won the title in April by defeating San Diego State.
According to UConn athletic director David Benedict, “it’s a commitment on behalf of the university and certainly a commitment on Coach Hurley’s behalf.” “We both think that this last year marked the beginning of something important. Although Coach Hurley has won titles before, our program is accustomed to doing so. We also want to ensure that it won’t be his last.
Hurley, 50, took over as the Huskies’ head coach after Kevin Ollie transferred from Rhode Island to UConn before the 2018–19 campaign. The Huskies received a No. 4 seed for the 2023 tournament after making the NCAA tournament in each of the previous three seasons.
UConn dominated the whole tournament despite losing the Big East tournament title to Marquette. UConn won every game in the tournament by double digits, with the exception of a 13-point victory over Miami in the Final Four. In the last 25 years, UConn has won five championships, and three different head coaches have led the Huskies to those triumphs.
Hurley was able to extend his existing UConn contract until the 2029 season thanks to a provision that was set off by the 2023 Final Four appearance. Previously, the agreement was valid through the 2027 campaign. From his previous base compensation of little under $3 million, he will now make an average of $5 million per season.
On Thursday night, three key members of the UConn championship squad are expected to be selected in the NBA Draft. Andre Jackson and Adama Sanogo might be taken in the second round, while Jordan Hawkins might be chosen in the lottery. The Huskies intend to replace them with four more four-star players and five-star point guard Stephon Castle as part of their 2023 recruiting class.
Here’s How the Final Game Played Out
TEXAS — As he made his way to the bench, UConn assistant coach Tom Moore gave guard Tristen Newton a tight hug. As the team jogged off the floor, head coach Dan Hurley gave high fives to each member. The Huskies’ fan base was at its loudest point of the evening.
The game was not over at that point. Not even the first half had ended. The Huskies had a 16-point advantage over San Diego State with 2:55 remaining before halftime and were clearly in control.
The result appeared to be predetermined at that time, and the second half essentially appeared to be a coronation.
With a 76-59 victory over the Aztecs on Monday, UConn ended one of the most dominant runs in NCAA tournament history. San Diego State had other plans, pulling the Huskies’ lead all the way down to five points.
Five national championships have now been won by the Huskies in the last 24 years by three different coaches: Jim Calhoun in 1999, 2004 and 2011, Kevin Ollie in 2014, and Hurley right now. UConn formally reinforced its position as a top-tier collegiate basketball program.
It probably also puts an end to the debate about whether or not the Huskies belong in the elite sports leagues.
Emeka Okafor, a former standout for UConn, said to ESPN after the game, “This is number five. For the previous four decades, we’ve had one every decade. I don’t see how you could reject a school that has won the most titles over the past 25 years. If there was a disagreement, it will absolutely be resolved by this.
Ray Allen, a program legend, concurred.
“Over the years, you hit these ebbs and flows, these peaks and valleys, but they’ve always managed to right the ship and get back to the top,” said Allen. “You simply have to advance the story constantly. Here, we triumph. Here, we’re going to keep winning. We’re not simply here to exist; we’re here to succeed.
The tournament’s first five games saw Sanogo, a junior center, average 20.2 points and 9.8 rebounds. He concluded Monday’s championship game with 17 points and 10 rebounds. He received the Most Outstanding Player award for the competition.
“With all the production and back-to-back first-team all-league honors, he’s obviously cemented himself into the pantheon of greatest big guys, and now this, to have the national championship just puts him in a position in one of the most storied programs in college basketball,” Hurley said. He is a legendary player.