As the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coaching search has come into the focus, the two candidates most publicly linked to the gig have been UConn head coach Dan Hurley and ESPN’s JJ Redick.
But why choose between a two-time national champion college head coach and a TV basketball analyst when you can hire a candidate who happens to be both?
While the most recent developments regarding the Lakers have centered on their reported pursuit of Hurley, the Huskies head coach apparently isn’t the only college coaching great Los Angeles has interest in. According to Marc Stein, former Villanova head coach Jay Wright could be a “stealth candidate” for the Lakers’ opening, although it’s unclear how serious Los Angeles’ interest is in the now-CBS Sports analyst.
“I had been warned early on by one well-placed insider, for what it’s worth, to stay ready in case former Villanova coach Jay Wright emerged as a stealth candidate,” Stein wrote on his Substack, The Stein Line, on Sunday. “That backstory is sure to surface sooner rather than later… presumably soon after the Lakers do or don’t land Hurley.”
As Stein alluded to, the Lakers’ job seems to be Hurley’s to lose, with reports indicating that the 51-year-old will make a decision on Monday whether to remain at UConn or make the jump to the NBA. Should Hurley opt to remain in Storrs, it will be interesting to see whether Los Angeles’ focus shifts back to pursuing Redick — who is currently calling the NBA Finals for ESPN/ABC — or if Wright’s candidacy for the vacancy becomes more than just “stealth.”
Before Hurley and the Huskies won the past two NCAA titles, it was Wright who reigned supreme over men’s college basketball (and the Big East). After leading Villanova to national titles in 2016 and 2018, the two-time Naismith College Coach of the Year retired following the Wildcats’ run to the Final Four in 2022.
Despite his retirement, Wright has maintained a presence in college basketball, serving as a game and studio analyst for CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery. This past January, he told Jeff Goodman — then with The Messenger — that he enjoyed his TV role so much that he couldn’t envision going back to coaching, although he certainly wouldn’t be the first former coach to renege on such a statement.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.