It’s in your blood’: Jersey made Dan Hurley who he is, how he coaches UConn

[YearoftheHusky]

‘It’s in your blood’: Jersey made Dan Hurley who he is, 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.”

 

[Palatine]

Given the lack of success of New Jersey college basketball programs, one has to wonder about the validity of such a point of view. Why hasn't this toughness and make up translated into success at the collegiate level? I think that is a fair question.

 

[superjohn]

Given the lack of success of New Jersey college basketball programs, one has to wonder about the validity of such a point of view. Why hasn't this toughness and make up translated into success at the collegiate level? I think that is a fair question.

Lol, Seton Hall and Rutgers haven't gotten the top NJ talent.

 

[BoukofJames]

Given the lack of success of New Jersey college basketball programs, one has to wonder about the validity of such a point of view. Why hasn't this toughness and make up translated into success at the collegiate level? I think that is a fair question.

That says more about Rutgers and Seton Hall than it does about the players. New Jersey has tons of high-end talent, but in the recent past those players have gone to ACC/SEC

 

[Palatine]

That says more about Rutgers and Seton Hall than it does about the players. New Jersey has tons of high-end talent, but in the recent past those players have gone to ACC/SEC

Not to be argumentative.....but Hurley didn't mention "high end players" He said, “Guys that play high school and AAU and grassroots ball in Jersey, they have the makeup,”

 

[OkaForPrez]

Freeman played at Patterson catholic and is on the UConn toughness mount rushmore. Who else is ex NJ?

 

[Huskymagic]

Jersey guards who play in Jersey are not the answer. They have no identity. DJ Wagner is an exception. We need to win for Wagner.

NY/PA/DMV/ and New England should be the priority. Midwest and Cali are also good places to look.

Big guys and small forwards from Jersey are solid. No leadership required from these positions.

 

[CL82]

Zags article covering the same ground

 

[KingAG]

Jersey guards who play in Jersey are not the answer. They have no identity. DJ Wagner is an exception. We need to win for Wagner.

NY/PA/DMV/ and New England should be the priority. Midwest and Cali are also good places to look.

Big guys and small forwards from Jersey are solid. No leadership required from these positions.

What? Lmao

 

[BoukofJames]

Not to be argumentative.....but Hurley didn't mention "high end players" He said, “Guys that play high school and AAU and grassroots ball in Jersey, they have the makeup,”

Semantics. It’s pretty evident that we are pursuing high-end players. Why would you expect low ranked talent to be able to turn around a program?

 

[Get a Job]

Jersey guards who play in Jersey are not the answer. They have no identity. DJ Wagner is an exception. We need to win for Wagner.

NY/PA/DMV/ and New England should be the priority. Midwest and Cali are also good places to look.

Big guys and small forwards from Jersey are solid. No leadership required from these positions.

Are you the same guy who started the "Jersey guards stink" meme that has been a running gag on here for months now? If not, I am blown away that there are more than one of you with this hilariously random and nonsensical stance.

 

[Psolo12]

The funniest active running joke on here is the jersey guard hate, its just hilarious.

 

[87Xfer]

I'm sure the take away from the article was Hurley's approach to the game, to recruiting, and to coaching. Not NJ players are the best and Dan can recruit them. But please, keep pissing on each other about Jersey guards.

Great article, imho.

 

[Stainmaster]

Jersey guards who play in Jersey are not the answer. They have no identity. DJ Wagner is an exception. We need to win for Wagner.

NY/PA/DMV/ and New England should be the priority. Midwest and Cali are also good places to look.

Big guys and small forwards from Jersey are solid. No leadership required from these positions.

Yawn.

 

[Ts5034]

That says more about Rutgers and Seton Hall than it does about the players. New Jersey has tons of high-end talent, but in the recent past those players have gone to ACC/SEC

A lot of good players have come out of New Jersey over the years. Just off the top of my head, I can think of Bobby Hurley, Terry Dehere, Kyrie Irving, Troy Murphy, Tim Thomas, and I know there are many others.

 

[UCLJ0211]

A lot of good players have come out of New Jersey over the years. Just off the top of my head, I can think of Bobby Hurley, Terry Dehere, Kyrie Irving, Troy Murphy, Tim Thomas, and I know there are many others.

UPDATED: Ranking New Jersey's 50 greatest basketball players

Shaquille O'Neal. Rick Barry. Dennis Rodman. New Jersey has produced some hardcourt stars. Here's our definitive ranking.

www.nj.com

 

[NJHoops]

I'm sure the take away from the article was Hurley's approach to the game, to recruiting, and to coaching. Not NJ players are the best and Dan can recruit them. But please, keep pissing on each other about Jersey guards.

Great article, imho.

This. Also, I know Dan would have found his way back to basketball eventually, but it’s hard to express just how perfect a coach Blaney was for him at exactly the right time. And, any article that includes Fr. Leahy is a good one, and St. Benedict’s is a special place.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Given the lack of success of New Jersey college basketball programs, one has to wonder about the validity of such a point of view. Why hasn't this toughness and make up translated into success at the collegiate level? I think that is a fair question.

When you switch from "one" has to wonder to "I" think, you ceded your foothold on "fair." Others have rightly rejected your argument on its merits, starting with the very first comment after your post.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Jersey guards who play in Jersey are not the answer. They have no identity. DJ Wagner is an exception. We need to win for Wagner.

NY/PA/DMV/ and New England should be the priority. Midwest and Cali are also good places to look.

Big guys and small forwards from Jersey are solid. No leadership required from these positions.

Wow I thought everyone scared you off of this take, haven't seen it in awhile. Do you just think everyone born in NJ is incapable of leadership?

 

[Austin316]

Jersey guards who play in Jersey are not the answer. They have no identity. DJ Wagner is an exception. We need to win for Wagner.

NY/PA/DMV/ and New England should be the priority. Midwest and Cali are also good places to look.

Big guys and small forwards from Jersey are solid. No leadership required from these positions.

go tell that to coach... who’s from jersey.

 

[glastonbury50]

Freeman played at Patterson catholic and is on the UConn toughness mount rushmore. Who else is ex NJ?

Does Sterling Gibbs count?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

A lot of good players have come out of New Jersey over the years. Just off the top of my head, I can think of Bobby Hurley, Terry Dehere, Kyrie Irving, Troy Murphy, Tim Thomas, and I know there are many others.

Did you that Kevin Freeman and Tim Thomas were high school teammates?

 

[Palatine]

Did you that Kevin Freeman and Tim Thomas were high school teammates?

I thought KFree was from Springfield, Mass. He learned toughness on the rugged streets of Longmeadow.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I thought KFree was from Springfield, Mass. He learned toughness on the rugged streets of Longmeadow.

He went to Paterson Catholic in NJ where he was high school teammates with Tim Thomas.

 

[Jbirdp5]

Jersey guards who play in Jersey are not the answer. They have no identity. DJ Wagner is an exception. We need to win for Wagner.

NY/PA/DMV/ and New England should be the priority. Midwest and Cali are also good places to look.

Big guys and small forwards from Jersey are solid. No leadership required from these positions.

This continues to be the worst take I’ve ever seen. In general to overgeneralize about an entire state is faulty logic, and here it’s just flat wrong anyway.
Gonna be a tough two years for you having to watch rj Cole.
Coach K must be an idiot for coming into jersey for jay williams and kyrie. Or do they not count in your mathematical equation on Jersey?

 

[husky429]

Wow I thought everyone scared you off of this take, haven't seen it in awhile. Do you just think everyone born in NJ is incapable of leadership?

No only if they're under 6'6. Wings and bigs are perfectly capable leaders.

 

[NJHusky]

Given the lack of success of New Jersey college basketball programs, one has to wonder about the validity of such a point of view. Why hasn't this toughness and make up translated into success at the collegiate level? I think that is a fair question.

Does that also apply to NJ Football? Other than a short blip, Rutgers has sucked big time....but it hasn't stopped top tier FB programs from coming to NJ to recruit. You can have good players that leave the state, just like you can have good programs from states that don't have much native talent.