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Dan Hurley's New Jersey roots inform how he coaches UConn
Hurley is going back to his roots in New Jersey for players, style and attitude as UConn gets ready for the Big East.
theathletic.com
Hurley’s New Jersey past—he grew up in Jersey City as the son of a legendary coach, played college ball in South Orange and got his head coaching start in Newark— placed him on a basketball trajectory that landed him at UConn in 2018. His roots have helped set the foundation for the Huskies’ program, defining the types of players he looks for and is increasingly landing in his third season in Storrs.
“Guys that play high school and AAU and grassroots ball in Jersey, they have the makeup,” Hurley says. “They’ve got toughness, they’ve got the edge to come and play at a place like UConn, and handle the pressure and expectations of playing at a place like UConn. Guys from the Northeast, they thrive in a place like this because basketball is king.”