With the recent shakeup in the Lakers’ head coaching search, NBA legend and former Laker Magic Johnson revealed his pick during an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, adding that both sides are a perfect match.
Lakers Legend Endorses Coaching Candidate on “Kimmel”
Magic Johnson Talks Coaching Search
When asked by Kimmel who LA’s new leading man should be, Johnson went to bat for UConn’s Dan Hurley.
“I want the coach to be Hurley. If we can sign him, I think it works for both. It works for coach Hurley, who won back-to-back NCAA championships with Connecticut…He has a championship background, [and] he’s great with offensive and defensive strategy. I think the players will respect him. And he’s tough.”
Johnson went on to describe the importance of Hurley’s toughness and what it could mean for the Lakers.
“The Lakers gotta have somebody who will hold them accountable, right? And also, we gotta play physical basketball. Denver will always beat us unless we become a much more physical team, so we gotta get more physical. That’s why these two teams are playing in the Finals, Boston and Dallas, because they’re mentally tough and they’re physically tough. We gotta get both.”
The Latest on the Lakers and Dan Hurley
Even after the bombshell reveal that Hurley was LA’s top target all along, it appears both sides will meet until a possible conclusion is reached this weekend.
Hurley will reportedly meet with the Lakers today as the team prepares to convince him to make the jump to the NBA. Only 11 other coaches have done it before him with mixed results. The 51-year-old has already cemented his place in college basketball history, building a powerhouse in Storrs that produced plenty of NBA-level talent. Hurley has not been shy about joining the league’s ranks, making such comments as recently as Wednesday.
Dan Hurley said this yesterday on the Mike Francesa Podcast:
“I do aspire one day, if the right NBA situation were to come along, to really testing myself…where an organization wants a tone setter to come in and instill a culture with young players and an organization that… pic.twitter.com/YapeLTDKDi
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 6, 2024
The Lakers have long eyed a coach who can stick with them for the present and the future. And instead of JJ Redick, an NBA veteran with little-to-no coaching experience, the team has reasonably—and preferably—shifted to Hurley, who still boasts an elite resume despite having no NBA experience.
Magic is right to highlight Hurley’s toughness, taking a different approach than those who claim his sideline antics wouldn’t fly in the NBA. At the very least, Hurley’s energy would be a breath of fresh air for the Lakers, who appeared disengaged on the floor at several points throughout the season.
Additionally, Hurley’s creative schemes—which have been praised by none other than LeBron James—are an added bonus. His offense even garnered the attention of some of the league’s coaches, according to Woj:
“More than one [coach] has commented to me about how sophisticated their offensive actions are, how…they would like to take from what UConn is doing, and that they’re running stuff in college they don’t see other coaches running…They think it would translate to the NBA, certainly Rob Pelinka believes that.”
These traits, among others, make Hurley a near-perfect candidate for LA.
The Last Word
Hurley’s skills, track record, and rave reviews from the college and pro levels have all greatly helped his case in a potential move up to the NBA. The endorsement from Magic and the recent praise from LeBron are icing on the cake. Time will tell just how close both sides get in negotiations and whether the Lakers manage to pull off an incredible and unexpected hire.
