UConn Huskies men’s basketball team head coach Dan Hurley recently got emotional as he opened up in an interview about how he often feels like falling short of the legacy of his other family members, despite getting praise and recognition in his own craft as a coach.
In an interview with “60 Minutes,” Dan Hurley opened up about the pressure he feels, coming from a family of great basketball players and coaches.
“Just how I failed to play up to, to live up to, to succeed up to the Hurley standard in basketball, it caused a lot of pain,” Hurley said. “It gets to the point where you’re a shell of yourself.”
“You’re not shooting the ball the way you’ve had your whole life. You have a hard time catching the ball, or even dribbling the ball. You got the yips in the way.”
“I got to make up for what I didn’t achieve as a player, and I got to make up for that right now as a coach ’cause my career eats away at me still,” he added. “It bothers me. If I see a picture of myself with a Seton Hall uniform or a clip, there’s an embarrassment about how that went.”
Dan Hurley has basketball running in his bloodveins. His father, Bob Hurley Sr., is a Hall of Fame high school coach who led St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, New Jersey, to 26 state championships during his 39-year tenure.
Dan’s brother, Bobby Hurley, is a former Duke University star and NBA player who is currently the head coach at Arizona State University.
Despite his successful coaching career, Dan Hurley has sometimes felt the pressure of living up to his family’s legacy. While he has achieved significant accomplishments, including leading UConn to back-to-back NCAA Division I national championships in 2023 and 2024, he has openly acknowledged the challenges of meeting the high expectations set by his father and brother.
Dan Hurley Finding Success as UConn Huskies Head Coach
Dan Hurley has achieved remarkable success as the head coach of the UConn men’s basketball team. Since taking over the program in 2018, Hurley has led the Huskies to back-to-back NCAA Division I national championships in 2023 and 2024.
Under Hurley’s leadership, UConn has become a dominant force in college basketball. In the 2023-24 season, the Huskies set a program record with 37 wins and won their sixth national title.
Dan Hurley was named the 2024 BIG EAST Coach of the Year and Naismith College Coach of the Year for his outstanding achievement.
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