‘She was crying in the beginning,’ Hurley said of his wife’s reaction

The wife of UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley reportedly became “violently angry” when he was approached about taking over as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Hurley said this was a reaction he had somewhat anticipated after the Huskies won back-to-back national titles.

Following his victory over Purdue in the championship game in April, Hurley was questioned about his future at UConn and whether Kentucky would consider hiring him to replace John Calipari as head coach.

Hurley joked that he couldn’t “afford a divorce right now” in response to his wife’s questions.

In response to the rumors at the time, he said, “Oh my God, Kentucky or anywhere that’s going to take her further from New Jersey.” We just traveled to Connecticut and Rhode Island, which I had to drag her to. I moved in closer to her. And moving forward now? Right now, I too cannot afford to get divorced. I recently began earning money.”

But the Hurleys had no idea that a few months later, when the Lakers moved on from Darvin Ham—fired after his second season with the team and Los Angeles’ first-round playoff loss this year—an NBA job would be in the cards.

Hurley stated while making an appearance on “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.”

“At first, she was crying.” She probably became extremely upset and furious during the first few days of it, not in the sense of hitting me or anything, but more like “Get away from me.” I’d prefer not to think about this. He laughed and said, “You’re torturing me with this incredible opportunity, you horrible human being.”

“Our life is so great, I can’t believe you’re bringing this,” she said with emotion. It’s flawless. Our lives are already perfect, and now you’re adding this shit to it.”

But a brief visit to California seemed to have made a positive impression on Andrea.

“When we got out there and she met [vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka] and [owner Jeanie Buss] and felt the weather, she warmed up to it from her initial bad behavior. The majority of the time, we just met people while driving around Manhattan Beach. And she witnessed its vision. She showed interest in it.”

Hurley claimed that it was fleeting and that upon returning home, the couple “flipped back” to UConn.

A six-year, $70 million contract was reportedly offered to him; he reportedly said that turning it down “tears you up inside.” Hurley clarified that part of the struggle was internal—the need to prove oneself even after all these years.

“My playing career still haunts me in many ways, and I’m still disappointed in how things didn’t work out for me at Seton Hall. I therefore feel a great deal of pressure as a coach to sort of make up for that and to accomplish more because I know that every time my playing days are brought up, I will feel disappointed.”

Hurley is searching with the Huskies.