Jay Williams suggested Dan Hurley as a potential candidate for the North Carolina head coaching role as Hubert Davis’ seat gets increasingly heated. Williams made the suggestion on Monday during a discussion on ESPN’s First Take.
Davis’ position at Chapel Hill has come under scrutiny following the Tar Heels’ shocking loss to the VCU Rams in the NCAA Tournament first round. Williams’ suggestion came as a pushback to the narrative that North Carolina only hires from within the program, preferring not to hire other schools’ products.
“Let me ask you something,” Williams said. “If North Carolina could get Danny Hurley, would you go outside the family? If North Carolina could get Nate Oats over at Alabama, would you go outside the family? I think that style and tempo would be great to see in Carolina Blue.”
Hubert Davis has a record many coaches would covet at North Carolina, going 125-54 over five years with the program. Despite a win rate of nearly 70%, the coach has found himself in the hot seat. The reason for this is not far-fetched, as he has not met the program’s expectations in the tournament.
On the other hand, Dan Hurley has reinforced UConn’s status as a national stronghold, building the program’s March Madness profile over the years. After missing the tournament in his first two seasons with the Huskies, he has secured tournament berths for the team for six straight seasons.
The improvement continued gradually, as he followed two consecutive Round of 64 exits with two national championship titles. The team fell in the Round of 32 last season but is back as a Final Four favorite this season. The Huskies booked a Sweet 16 spot with a win over UCLA on Sunday.
Tom Izzo revealed he advised Dan Hurley on an NBA offer
Dan Hurley’s success at UConn has put him on the radar of many teams in the coaching carousel, including those in the NBA. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo revealed on Monday that he advised him on a $70 million, six-year offer from the Los Angeles Lakers.
“I told him to seriously look at it because I could see where college basketball was going,” he said. “But I said I would hate to lose him because I think he’s all that is right about college basketball. He cares about kids. He cares about the game.”
The two coaches are set to clash in the next round of the NCAA tournament.
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Edited by Kayode Akinwumi
