{"id":675020,"date":"2026-03-23T19:01:23","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T19:01:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/675020\/"},"modified":"2026-03-23T19:01:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T19:01:23","slug":"tom-izzo-gave-dan-hurley-advice-after-lakers-offered-uconn-coach-70m-6-year-contract-in-2024-basketball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/675020\/","title":{"rendered":"Tom Izzo gave Dan Hurley advice after Lakers offered UConn coach $70M, 6-year contract in 2024 | Basketball"},"content":{"rendered":"

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) \u2014 Tom Izzo<\/a> has turned down multiple opportunities to coach in the NBA<\/a>, including with the Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a> and Atlanta Hawks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When the Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> were willing to give UConn<\/a> coach Dan Hurley a $70 million, six-year contract<\/a> in 2024, Hurley asked Izzo for advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him to seriously look at it because I could see where college basketball was going,\u201d Izzo told The Associated Press on Monday. \u201cBut I said, I would hate to lose him because I think he’s all that is right about college basketball. He cares about the kids. He cares about the game. He has to care about the game because of his dad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bob Hurley Sr. won more than two dozen state championships at St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, New Jersey, developing dozens of Division I college players.<\/p>\n

Izzo<\/a> and third-seeded Michigan State<\/a> will face Hurley and the second-seeded Huskies in Washington on Friday night in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The 53-year-old Hurley, who is in his eighth season at UConn, won consecutive national championships in 2023-24. He is 17-5 in the NCAA Tournament, winning 77.3% of games to rank No. 1 among active coaches and fourth all time among coaches with at least 15 games.<\/p>\n

The 71-year-old Izzo has earned a record 28 consecutive bids to March Madness<\/a> and won an NCAA title in 2000 \u2014 the last by a Big Ten team \u2014 in one of his eight Final Four appearances during his Hall of Fame<\/a> career.<\/p>\n

Follow Larry Lage on X<\/a><\/p>\n

AP March Madness bracket: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/ncaa-mens-bracket<\/a> and coverage: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/march-madness<\/a><\/p>\n

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Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.<\/p>\n