HOUSTON — Even after he achieved the basketball immortality that he has spent a lifetime chasing, UConn's human tempest of a basketball coach still could not relax.
Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley celebrates during the net cutting after their win against San Diego State in the men's national championship college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Houston. HOUSTON — Even after he achieved the basketball immortality that he has spent a lifetime chasing, UConn’s human tempest of a basketball coach still could not relax.
“It feels great to come through on my promises,” Hurley said. “This was our vision. This was our dream. This is what we talked about when we recruited these guys, that we could get together and do something big like this.” Jim Calhoun’s brash, bold teams of the 1990s and 2000s changed that, punching up in weight class until they were among the sport's heavyweights and then hoisting trophies at a rate no one else could match. Calhoun claimed three national titles before he retired in 2013. Then Kevin Ollie won another with Calhoun's holdovers the year after.
Count Mike Krzyzewski among those who side with Karaban. Without prompting, the legendary former Duke coach said Sunday on Colin Cowherd’s podcast, “I hate when people say there are no blue bloods in the Final Four. You have to be kidding me.” When Hurley took over the program five years ago, UConn had lost its way. The Huskies had only made the NCAA tournament once the previous four seasons while stranded in the hodgepodge American Athletic Conference. They got hit with NCAA sanctions and endured a messy breakup with Ollie.