Amid their run in the NCAA Tournament, the UConn Huskies have learned that assistant coach Luke Murray has landed a head coaching job after years of working alongside Dan Hurley.
Murray, considered a skilled coach when it comes to developing and running the UConn offense, rose to prominence as part of UConn’s back-to-back championship runs. Those championships put all of the Huskies’ coaching staff under the spotlight, and have now brought Murray a job as head coach at Boston College.
He’ll take his first-ever head coaching position next season with the struggling Eagles, but first will finish out the NCAA Tournament with the Huskies, including a Sweet 16 game against Michigan State on Friday evening.
With that game looming, it may cause some distractions for Hurley and his staff, who will need to address Murray’s departure this offseason. However, they could look to a member of the rival St. John’s Red Storm staff to fill that vacancy.
Read more: UConn Coach Offered ACC Coaching Job Amid March Madness Run: Report
Upon Thursday’s breaking news that Boston College hired Murray as their next head coach, it prompted speculation on who will join Hurley’s coaching staff for next season. One of the names mentioned by On3’s Richard O’Leary is Taliek Brown, currently an assistant coach with the St. John’s Red Storm.
Brown also has strong ties to UConn as he was a point guard for the Huskies from 2000 to 2004, and a key part of the team’s second NCAA Championship alongside Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon in 2004.
He also became an undrafted NBA acquisition, playing with the Utah Jazz’s G League affiliate, the Idaho Stampede, for a year, before playing multiple seasons of basketball with overseas teams. His post-UConn basketball career lasted from 2004 through 2013.
From 2019 through 2022, Brown worked as the director of player development with UConn, which included significant time during Dan Hurley’s first several years as the Huskies’ head coach.
Along with Brown, there are other names being mentioned in the early speculation. One of those was Bobby Hurley, brother of Dan Hurley, who Arizona State fired after their season. However, Bobby Hurley seemingly suggested he wouldn’t want to take a position on his brother’s staff.
Meanwhile, Murray and Brown both are still with their respective teams in the NCAA Tournament. Murray and UConn are part of a Sweet 16 clash against Michigan State. Brown is helping Rick Pitino as part of the coaching staff for their March Madness run, with a game against Duke, also on Friday.
Read more: Rick Pitino Delivers Message to St. John’s Fans Ahead of Duke Clash
For more about college basketball, visit Newsweek Sports.
