"I told him to seriously look at it because I could see where college basketball was going. But I said, I would hate to lose him because I think he's all that is right about college basketball."
"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."
"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."
"The 71-year-old Izzo has earned a record 28 consecutive bids to March Madness and won an NCAA title in 2000 -- the last by a Big Ten team."
Tom Izzo has turned down several NBA coaching opportunities, including offers from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks. He advised UConn coach Dan Hurley to consider a lucrative contract from the Los Angeles Lakers, recognizing the changing landscape of college basketball. Izzo values Hurley's commitment to the game and his players, influenced by his father's legacy. Both coaches are set to face each other in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16, with Hurley having a strong tournament record and Izzo holding a remarkable history in March Madness.
Read at ESPN.com
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