Dan Hurley of UConn continues a distinguished family tradition.

Dan Hurley has restored UConn to national prominence and strengthened his family’s legacy, win or lose in the national championship game versus San Diego State.

He remains Bob Hurley’s child. He continues to be Bobby Hurley’s sibling.

Yet regardless of the outcome of the national championship game against San Diego State on Monday night, Dan Hurley has restored UConn to national prominence and elevated his family’s illustrious heritage.

Bobby Hurley stated on Sunday that “now is his moment and he’s proved what he’s capable of achieving.” “It’s a lovely thing because now this is Dan’s time, much as my dad’s accomplishment, my success as a player in my career, and all the renown.”

The Hurley family is basketball aristocracy, having played at the highest levels in high school, college, and the NBA for two generations.

Bob, a fierce high school coach who guided St. Anthony’s to 28 New Jersey state championships and induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame, is the root of the basketball tree.

Bobby was one of the best point guards in college basketball history. He won a national championship with Duke, was a two-time All-American, and is currently the NCAA’s all-time leader in assists.

Dan was on the verge of quitting the game.

Dan had to put up with taunts of “You’re not Bobby!” while playing at Seton Hall while his elder brother was a success at Duke. Hurley took a leave of absence from the squad during his junior season due to the pressure.

Bobby Hurley, who just led Arizona State to its third NCAA Tournament berth, stated that having people yelling at him while he is a young player in college is “crazy.” He had a pretty difficult time dealing with things at that young age.

Shortly after that, Bobby was caught off guard as he was returning home from an NBA game for the Sacramento Kings. After surviving the collision and miraculously making it back to the NBA, he was forced to end his career after six seasons.

After seeing his brother get better, Dan went back to Seton Hall and, upon graduating in 1996, joined the family company at St. Anthony’s as his father’s assistant. After that, he alternated between high school and college, working as an assistant for Rutgers for four years, St. Benedict’s Prep for nine, and Wagner College for two.

After six seasons at Rhode Island, Hurley started to establish himself, and his final two seasons saw him guide the Rams to the NCAA Tournament.

His toughest challenge to date followed, which was to try to elevate UConn to national prominence.

2014 saw the Huskies win their fourth national championship, but everything quickly fell apart with coach Kevin Ollie’s humiliating firing and recruiting infractions. When Hurley took over in 2018, UConn was no longer considered one of the top programmes in college basketball and was ranked 170th in the KenPom analytics rankings.

Hurley started his programme building at Storrs, seeking guidance from anybody he could, including his father, former UConn coach Jim Calhoun.

With the exception of the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season, the Huskies progressively raised their victory total each season. This year, after two first-round NCAA Tournament exits, they blasted through the tournament with five double-digit victories.

Hurley stated, “I think when you grow up the way I did, you want to go out and test yourself all the time.

A Hurley’s upbringing was not simple.

At St. Anthony’s, Bob Hurley was strict with his players and much more so with his two kids. They were taught that failing completely was better than losing, which was never an option.

The Hurley brothers were equally explosive as players and coaches, pushing themselves to the utmost to succeed at any costs.

Bobby Hurley stated that “my dad initiated the whole affair.” “You should definitely start there if you have an issue with our competitive nature. He detested losing. Everyone was hiding in the home since that was just how things were when he lost, which was not often.

The Hurley brothers’ strict upbringing not only helped them succeed in their occupations but also forged a close family tie as they got older and their father’s health deteriorated.

Over this month of March, Dan Hurley has shed many tears, notably during UConn’s game against Arkansas the previous Saturday when he sobbed and needed to gather himself after being questioned about his father.

Bob Hurley remarked, “Me and my wife have cried together, but there are many tears being shed.” “He’s emotionally engaged in these kids, but I don’t know if that’s part of the performance he’s got going right now.”

Hurley has been emotionally manipulative, converting UConn into what his father has described as a college version of St. Anthony’s. The Huskies play with intensity, maintain discipline, and aim for excellence.

UConn defeated Arkansas, Gonzaga, and Miami over the previous two weekends to go to the Final Four with Bob and Bobby watching from the stands.

Dan Hurley declared, “I want to be my dad in college. “I want to coach with integrity, be a man of my word, and have the holistic sort of approach that my dad had. I want to be a coach’s coach like my dad, not a fake, a fraud, a liar, or a cheater,” the coach said.

One more victory A sizable Hurley celebration that will open Monday night in Houston will write a new chapter in the family’s history.