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Magic Johnson Throws Support Behind Lakers Potentially Hiring Dan Hurley

Tom Dierberger

Connecticut coach Dan Hurley shouts during the Men's NCAA national championship game against the Purdue Boilermakers at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on April 8, 2024.
Connecticut coach Dan Hurley shouts during the Men's NCAA national championship game against the Purdue Boilermakers at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on April 8, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY
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The Los Angeles Lakers appear to be growing closer to hiring a head coach to replace the fired Darvin Ham.

While former NBA player JJ Redick was considered the front-runner to land the job last week, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday that the Lakers have been in contact with UConn men's basketball coach Dan Hurley about the position. It was also reported that Hurley told his Huskies players on Thursday that there is truth to the rumors.

Magic Johnson, who won five championships in a Lakers uniform, is a fan of the Lakers potentially hiring Hurley.

"I heard the great news that Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss and GM/VP of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka have had conversations with back-to-back NCAA champion and current UCONN Head Coach, Dan Hurley, about becoming the next Lakers Head Coach," Johnson wrote on social media Thursday afternoon. "I'm so excited and thrilled! This would be a game changer for the Lakers organization, LeBron, AD, the rest of the Laker players, Laker Nation and the NBA! Coach Hurley can coach his butt off lol."

Hurley became the head coach at UConn in 2018 after a two-year stint at Wagner and six seasons at Rhode Island. Over the last six campaigns in Storrs, Conn., Hurley has led the Huskies to a 141–58 record and won back-to-back national championships in 2023 and '24.

Hurley has been outspoken in the past about the possibility of coaching in the NBA one day.

"Maybe down the road, you hope you can mature enough emotionally to, much later in my career, try to take a shot at the NBA—down the road, way down the road—but I’m not gonna coach anywhere else in college," Hurley said in April after the Huskies' championship parade.

It appears Hurley making the leap to the NBA might not be too far down the road after all.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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