UConn basketball player Dan Hurley with NBA reality check amid controversial antics

Former NBA general manager Ryan McDonough believes UConn basketball coach Dan Hurley‘s a fiery secondary posture would not be tolerated in the NBA and could cause problems for Los Angeles Lakers that he accepted their summer offer.

McDonough, who appeared on SiriusXM NBA Radio with Frank Isola, expressed concern about how Hurley’s emotional style would fit in the NBA.

“I just think Hurley would burn out (in the NBA),” McDonough said. “And those things, getting down on your knees, being so demonstrative about calls that they wouldn’t fly to the NBA.” McDonagh pointed out that the NBA environment and its officials are less tolerant of dramatic sideline behavior compared to college basketball.

McDonough noted that there are extreme differences between college and NBA officials, and that much of Hurley’s style would not translate to the professional level. “NBA referees would get tired of that quickly,” he explained. “If you’re a referee in the NBA, you don’t talk nearly as much as some college officials.

According to McDonough, college officials often have to tolerate more than top coaches like Hurley because of the influence these coaches have in their conferences and the NCAA. “College referees say privately that these elite coaches have a lot of influence,” he noted. “We have to sit there and take it.”

Hurley, who turned down a six-year, $70 million offer from the Lakers last summer to stay at UConn, he made headlines for his passionate sideline antics.

McDonough speculated that Hurley’s intense emotional style could be a challenge for the Lakers, stating, “I think it would be a challenge for the Lakers and Hurley. It is probably in the best interests of both parties that they have not been able to reach an agreement.”

The Lakers ended up going with JJ Reddick as their head coach, while Hurley tried to win a breakthrough trophy with the Huskies.

Dan Hurley continues to meet with officials this season

This season, Hurley’s behavior has included multiple confrontations with officials, with one notable instance occurring on Tuesday night when Hurley was seen yelling at one official who turned to leave, declaring, “Don’t turn your back on me, I’m the best trainer in the fucking sport.”

In response to being caught on camera, Hurley issued one response with the hashtag to X:

Hurley’s fiery exchanges became a recurring themewith another instance in November when he received a technical foul for swearing at an official during a game at the Maui Invitational, contributing to UConn’s loss to Memphis.