Why does UConn head coach Dan Hurley pass on certain players while recruiting?

Dan Hurley’s success at UConn can be traced back to his recruiting philosophy. And for Hurley, the juggernaut that he has built at UConn is based on not getting the best athlete available.

In fact, Hurley, who comes from a family of storied coaches, said he avoids “neon players” who won’t buy into the program.

UConn has won back-to-back national championships, clinching this distinction with an emphatic win on Monday over Purdue.

In terms of recruiting, Hurley looks at certain critical factors, and many of them are away from the basketball court. In assessing a recruit, Hurley looks and asks “Have they played on seven different travel teams? Have they transferred to four or five different high schools?”

“They tell on themselves, they drop hints. You get the wrong kind of people in that inner circle around your players, they’ll sink your program,” Hurley said during a recent CBS interview.

“The locker room is so important, the personalities in that room. What they’re saying in that room after a tough loss.”

Hurley sees certain traits in a recruit – and their entourage – as big red flag. Certain recruits and their families have tendencies of “Becoming coach killers and program killers.”

 

I apologize. I should’ve put a link to the entire interview in my original post.

Here it is: https://t.co/lmJhPgu4sg

— Pete Quinn (@CoachPeteQuinn_) April 7, 2024

“With the way we do things as well as the focus that we put on winning here those five national championship banners and the 11 on the women’s side you prioritize winning here as a head coach or you won’t be coaching for very long.

“And we’ve passed on players with incredible measurable height and athleticism off the charts to bring somebody in here that is going to give us a better chance to win.

“And (that is) somebody that if the losing does start is going to help you be able to to respond.”