A FANTAstic Guest (Hour 2)

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The number one pediatrician recommended brand. Alrighty, rocking and rolling. It is the Zach Gelb show coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. We are all waiting, waiting, waiting to see what Danny Hurley is going to do. Will he stay with the UConn Huskies and go for a three-peat or will he be off to the NBA?

We are waiting, waiting, waiting. Now we get to talk to one of the best voices covering college basketball today. That, of course, is Jon Fanta of Fox Sports, who's been all over this Danny Hurley story. And Jon joins us right now from an Uber. So my first question, Jon, first off, I hope you're doing well, but is that Uber in Connecticut or is it in L.A.? I'm just wondering, because I'm sure you're all over this story. It's in New Jersey, Zach, so that's Dan Hurley's home state.

That's true. So I am keep I am in the swamps of Jersey, as Bruce Springsteen would like to say on a Friday afternoon in stop and go traffic. Of course, New Jersey folks know summer Fridays around here.

You're going to be in some stop and go. And how fitting. We're kind of in stop and go traffic right now with Dan Hurley, the Lakers, the UConn saga. Zach, I would say this, and I think you'd agree with me. In terms of the random twist on the coaching carousel and where it comes this time of year, this is an all-timer.

It really, really is. I would say the last time I was really stunned in the college basketball coaching carousel, you know, Ed Cooley, we started to hear a little bit about that. But when Jay Wright elected to retire, because that felt like it came out of nowhere. It's like we're on the same wavelength, Zach. I was just going to say for me the last three years, you know, being in the Northeast, covering a lot of the Big East. I was thinking about this. For whatever reason, people say that the Big East is as dramatic as any league in college basketball.

It's got the most drama in it since the 80s or 90s. The last three offseason cycles, Jay Wright retires. Ed Cooley is the first Big East coach in the history of the league to go from one school to another in the league, going from Providence to Georgetown. Meanwhile, St. John's hires Rick Pitino. He returns to the Big East, and now Dan Hurley's won back-to-back national titles, and he might be going to one of the most storied franchises in all of sports. This league, that phrase, this league, it applies to the Big East.

Might not have the football dollars, but man, does it know how to generate some hoop storylines. Talking to John Fanta. So when this story came out yesterday, like, I slept in a little bit late, and then my phone's blowing up, and I'm like, oh, my goodness gracious. There's a chance Dan Hurley's going to the Lakers. Tell me through what your first initial reaction was.

The source, obviously, it being Woge makes sense with how close he is to the Hurley family, but how did you process this? And I think we lost John Fanta. The Uber driver was probably like, hey, I don't want to hear any more of those basketball takes from you, Fanta.

Shut up. I will tell you, the more and more we do these Zoom interviews, because usually when a guy's on the phone, you have no clue where they are, how many times people call from a car is kind of crazy. I was actually disappointed, though. John Fanta was calling from a car because he usually does these interviews sitting behind like a basketball hoop, as if one that you would just hang in your room and you had the Nerf basketball. And I saw that Big Cat and PFT had him once dunk the basketball. So I was kind of hoping that we were going to get John Fanta with that basketball hoop in the background and maybe have him take a shot. And if the shot went in, then that means Dan Hurley's taking the Lakers job. And if he missed the shot, then he was going to be joining or staying with the UConn Huskies. So hopefully we could reconnect with John Fanta momentarily here on the Zach Gelb show on the Infinity Sports Network. But to spend a few minutes, because we haven't really talked about outside of when we had Larry Brown on for a few minutes, and Larry Brown said he understands why Dan Hurley would take this, because college basketball is so different now because of NIL and the transfer portal and the constant grind that does occur in college basketball now compared to what it was years ago.

And I do think it's an easier lifestyle to be coaching in the pros compared to college basketball. But that being said, Seth Greenberg, when he joined us yesterday, he did disagree with me on that. But when I left the show yesterday, we went around the room and Botcher said he thinks he's going to stay at UConn. Santer said he thinks he's going to stay at UConn. And then also Axe said he thought he was going to stay at UConn. And for whatever the reasons were, I'm sitting there and I'm hearing, no, no, no, he's not going to leave, not going to leave, not going to leave.

I'm like, OK, I got to be the guy that says yes. But when I really left the show yesterday, I put out an instant reaction video walking home. And I was I was pondering on my 35 minute walk home a little bit more when it comes to what was going to happen.

And I just kind of got to the line of thinking. And John did some reporting on this with the lucrative offer that they did make to Dan Hurley and the fact that it's a offer that would make him one of the highest paid coaches in college basketball. I know we don't have the concrete detail numbers, but people will speculate on what those numbers were. But the fact that that offer has been out there and he hasn't taken it. And now considering where the source is that it's woes with this story, I'm at the point where I would be surprised, surprised if he doesn't end up taking the Lakers job because this story didn't get out for a reason. And now that it's out there and maybe he gets cold feet, maybe in this meeting today doesn't like what he's hearing from Rob Polinka and Jeannie Buss, like all that stuff is possible. It's on the table. I'm not telling you it's a lock.

But I don't think this story gets out if it isn't a legit possibility and Hurley isn't leaning right now towards taking the job. And you win back to back national championships. The Kentucky stuff. We knew he was never taking the Kentucky job. The only way was leaving Yukon was to go to the pros. And we know that Yukon right now is a blue blood Kentucky, obviously a blue blood, too. But you win back to back national championships.

You also don't take the Kentucky job. And so there's no new contract. And I just put that question out there on Twitter yesterday. Why isn't there a new contract? Like, why isn't it agreed upon?

Why isn't it signed, sealed and delivered? Could that be on Yukon? Could that be on Dan Hurley? Could it be a mixture of both? Like what John reported on Fox, I read the article. That is a deal that is going to make him one of the highest paid coaches in college basketball.

Does he have a problem with administration? I don't know. I'm just I'm guessing. I'm speculating.

But the fact that no new contract had a signature on it, it remains this possibility to be there. And like, let's remember, this is the Memphis Grizzlies. This isn't you know, I know they're in a great spot right now, but the Oklahoma City Thunder. This is the brand of the Los Angeles Lakers.

That's what this is. And remember, Danny Hurley is the son of a coach. Bob Hurley, senior. We all know who Danny Hurley's brother is.

Right. And the three of them are all basketball royalty with Bob Hurley, senior, being a legendary high school coach. We know what Bobby was as a player and then what Dan has become as a college coach, being the face of the sport right now. So I don't think he just leaves for any job. And he's talked about this openly, about one day wanting to coach in the NBA. But and I think if we could get Fanta back up soon, hopefully we can.

I know there's a little connection issue. I think John would even say that probably Danny Hurley was thinking about this a few years from now. But however this went down and I speculated to this yesterday and I stand by it, I think the Lakers and was had some conversation. And whatever happened from that conversation made was called Danny Hurley, whether that's hey, Danny, the Lakers are interested in you or hey, I'm here and someone leaked it out to me that you've been talking to the Lakers. And because of how close the Hurley family is to Woge, they're not going to lie to Woge. So I think Woge is a big piece in this. And now this means in the next few days, I think we get an answer. I don't think we're sitting here Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday next week not knowing. And right now you put a gun to my head and say, Zach, is Dan Hurley taking the job?

I think yes. He's done everything he can at UConn. And I know people tell me, oh, he'll be able to three-peat. He's done everything he can at UConn. He is right now the face of the sport. He's back to back national champions.

He has continued on them being a blue blood. The Huskies and it's the NBA. And trust me, like I'll question if his style can fit in the NBA. We know he's a heck of a coach, but the demanding personality, him being a quirky dude, will that relate in a locker room? And sometimes a college coach comes in there, doesn't adapt. And that's the biggest detriment. And then there's the family aspect of this, too. You're an East Coast guy.

You want to go out to the West Coast? Now, Lakers go make you a six or seven year offer and they pay a 14, 13 million dollars a year. I think it makes that a little bit easier. So yesterday, like during the show yesterday, I kind of felt 50-50 on it. I started to think to myself, is he using the Lakers? Because everyone knew he was never taking the Kentucky job.

But is he using the Lakers, which is in the NBA, the professional league, to drive up the price from UConn? But then Fanta comes out with this report that they made him an offer. And this offer wasn't just made this week, it was made a while ago. And this offer makes him one of the highest paid coaches in college basketball. Now, there are other reasons maybe why he did not put pen to paper.

I guess that's plausible. But the fact that that offer is out there and it's not been signed yet, the biggest question is why? And I think we've now found out the why part doesn't mean he definitely takes the job.

But I don't think it gets to this way publicly. And this story gets out this way if he wasn't seriously considering taking it. And I just my gut tells me right now that he's going to take it.

That's what my gut tells me. And if you would have called me a month ago. And if you would have said, right, because Darvin Ham's been dismissed for a while. Hey, Zach, Danny Hurley is going to be the next coach of Lakers. I'd be like, yeah, right.

He's not going to be the next coach of Lakers. And even when the story first got out there, I'm like, OK, you could target Danny Hurley. Like, you know, I could go target one to go on a date with Beyonce or, you know, some other beautiful woman out there.

You could you could have that your eyes set on some beautiful woman, but I mean, it's going to happen. And that's how I first thought that was going to play out. But the more and more you hear things and the more and more you read things. This decision is coming soon.

And I expect Danny Hurley to be the next coach of Lakers, which is just wild, bizarre. And it's absolutely crazy. And I put this out right away yesterday. Like this was it must have been I woke up, saw the story, reacted to it. And then after that, it must have been at like nine thirty a.m. Eastern Time. Let's see at the tweet right here.

Nine thirty seven a.m. Eastern Time. Five names I thought for for you kind of Hurley goes to Lakers. Kamani Young, Scott Drew, Rick Pitino, Kim English and Bruce Pearl. If we want to talk about these names realistically, it would be tough blow for Providence because you just got someone to replace Ed Cooley and Kim English.

I think is going to be a rock star. I don't think it would be Pitino, but you at least got to consider it. Scott Drew didn't leave Kentucky. He loves Baylor. But we know UConn is a great job and there's less pressure than it would be at Kentucky.

So you got to make that phone call. And Bruce Pearl has the energy and the big time feel. Take over for Dan Hurley, who you know, Dan Hurley is a better coach, but Bruce Pearl has been very accomplished as well. But taking from another program this time of the year, it could happen.

But it's difficult. It really is like UConn's practicing. They practiced the other day. UConn practices again next week. And remember now with transfer portal name, image and likeness, the coach leaves. This opens all back up for UConn.

You want to find a way to keep those guys right away. And when Alabama found that Nick Saban was retiring. Their AD said, guys, just just give us 48, 72 hours. They ended up making a good hire in Kaitlyn DeBoer taking from Washington. But that's when the hiring cycle was going on. When Jim Harbaugh elected to leave Michigan, we all knew Sharone Moore was going to be the coach. And that's what I think UConn will try to do. They'll try to emulate what Michigan did, where you take one of your own on the staff and make them the coach. And that keeps this core together and prevents them from going somewhere else immediately.

And then the season goes from being a three P to then right down the drain. And that's why I think it's going to be Kimani Young. I think he's of interest.

You know, all those other names. I think he's of interest of UConn. Hey, you offer Kimani Young the job. He's definitely gonna take it. That's for sure. He's on the staff.

He knows those guys. And that would be my prediction right now. Hurley to the Lakers. Kimani Young, the next head coach of the UConn Huskies. I don't know if it's going to work long term at UConn, but he's going to get the first crack at it to try and replace Dan Hurley.

If in fact we get this announcement at some point over the weekend that Danny Hurley is the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. By the way, bad job at ESPN last night. I was texting with Andrew Marchand, the media critic, who is very good.

And I would say he's the most popular guy covering media, like in that niche kind of role. And I asked him, I said, do you think ESPN will have, well, I didn't say have the stones. Let me get the right wording. I said, what did I text Andrew Marchand? I know once the ball is thrown up in the air, the focus on the game.

But I really hope Mike Breen brings up Hurley on the broadcast with JJ sitting right next to him. Marchand said, I say they skip it. I said, I agree, I do. But I do it. But I'm also not the number one guy at ESPN.

And it got me thinking. So maybe you think it's out of place in the game broadcast because when the NBA Finals tip off, the focus should be on the NBA Finals. But with how long all those shows were yesterday, pregame and the halftime show was a disgrace.

You may as well not even have it. But with all those pregame shows, how doesn't someone say, hey, JJ, we pay you. So you're going to get on one of these pregame shows and we're going to ask your insight on the Lakers gig. Because this job was supposed to be J.J. Redick's earlier in the week, according to Shams Sharania and this great media reporter feud, where they were once best of friends and Woj mentored Shams Sharania. And now it's Shams versus Woj. And Shams said the Lakers are targeting J.J. Redick and we all thought it was J.J. Redick. And then boom, the Woj bomb yesterday.

Explosion, fireworks, Woj bomb, boom. And it ends up now that the Lakers are targeting Danny Hurley. But how doesn't someone get a microphone in front of J.J. Redick's face yesterday and ask J.J. Redick his thoughts on that and what this means for him?

I would have loved to have heard that insight. What's the point of employing J.J. Redick? Paying J.J. Redick if you are ESPN and not having someone, even if it wasn't Breen. But Malika Andrews, Stephen A. Smith, Mike Wilbon, whoever. What's the point of paying J.J. if you're not going to ask him that question? I thought it was a bad look yesterday for ESPN. Alrighty, we'll take a break.

This is Zach Gelb's show on the Infinity Sports Network. After Game 1, where's your confidence level with the Boston Celtics? Do you think this series is over?

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Go to TuneIn.com or download the TuneIn app to start listening. Alrighty, we're back. It is the Infinity Sports Network and it is the Zach Gelb show. We are going to reconnect with John Fanta of Fox Sports who's been all over this Danny Hurley situation. As we are in waiting mode to see if Danny Hurley is going to take the Lakers gig. When Fanta was on with us last, out of nowhere, he just dropped right off the screen.

So I have three guesses. The Uber driver punched him and was like, I don't want to hear any more of these stupid basketball takes. Danny Hurley called him to say he was taking the Lakers job or his phone died. What was it, Fanta? It was number three, Zach. My phone died. You know what's funny? The minute we went to break, I said to my producer, Mike, I go, I bet you his phone died because I don't think you sleep. Especially when you have news like this and I know how you are and how much you love the game and you love the coverage of the sport.

I just don't think it's physically possible for you to get much sleep right now as you're waiting and waiting, waiting to see if this news does break. Well, not to mention, and your viewers can appreciate this, that as you look behind me, there's a there's a bucket there behind me near the window. Are you in a new house? So I planned my wife and I planned this window to move into a new house because we thought that this would be a good window to do this.

And of course, this story has caused a whole lot of chaos in the in the Fanta household for a variety of reasons. So balancing a move in beautiful New Jersey and covering Dan Hurley and the Lakers. So, yes, now we can resume. My phone is back up and running and I am coming to you from a paint renovation job. I'm actually a little bit disappointed that you're moving because I always loved when you would do these interviews and you had the little basketball hoop behind you. Is the basketball hoop still around?

That's my question. It's going to make the trip. It'll be in the it'll be in the moving truck right now. It's packed away. All right.

That's very important. John Fanta here with us. So here's what I'm at with the Hurley situation. And I read your reporting and you've made it clear that UConn made Dan Hurley an offer a little bit ago that would make him one of the highest paid coaches in college basketball. If there's not a problem with administration or something else and it's say the money's there and he just hasn't signed it yet. That makes me think that he's off to L.A. and he's going to take the Lakers job.

How about yourself? I do think that if I was a betting man and I'm not but if I was voting on this I would say that Dan Hurley is going to be the head coach the Los Angeles Lakers. Look at it this way. He has maxed out at the college level. Right.

He's done all that he can. Short of John Wooden which Zach I think UConn's preseason standing heading into next year to be real with you is based more on the past couple of seasons and giving them the benefit of the doubt that what they actually have. I don't think they're a national championship team next year. I think they're a great team.

I just wouldn't put them if I were to name four teams in the title tier I'd probably look foolish. But I just think he looks at that writing. I think that he looks at Dan is wired differently. He is a different type of guy.

You talk to anybody and they'll tell you that in a good way. But he wants the next challenge. I talk to people within you know UConn's athletics community that are closely aligned with men's basketball that told me he's always thinking about the next thing. Well for him Zach.

Yeah you want to run it back. I get it. But when the next thing could be the head coach of the L.A. Lakers writing a chapter in LeBron James you know someday LeBron's last dance documentary is going to come out. Dan Hurley you can't tell me he doesn't think about the allure of potentially being a part of that. And we could all say we don't know if it fits.

We don't know if it works. You think Dan Hurley saying that to himself. No he bets on himself. He's betting on himself that this is the right move. Can you say no and stomach saying no to nine figures.

I have it on good authority. The Lakers are offering at least 100 million dollars guarantee to Dan Hurley. I mean you're talking about at least 100 million. You're talking about LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Set them aside. Let's just say there's a world where they don't play. In fact I think LeBron and AD not being on this upcoming year's Lakers team helps the Lakers long term in terms of winning a championship. But that's neither here nor there. Whether LeBron or AD are part of the equation or not. Jeannie Buss and Rob Palenka are going to constantly go for it as my wife comes through as we do this paint job. We're live honey.

That's OK. That's all right. This is a situation where where they're always contending. They're always going to be contending at the top of the NBA in terms of their philosophy.

All of these pros because Zach. There's not a guarantee. There's guarantees that other NBA teams might call Dan Hurley but the Orlando Magic and the Indiana Pacers and the Cleveland Cavaliers don't have the same alert factor that the L.A. Lakers have the same money the same everything. If the worst thing happens and this doesn't work out Zach Elb Hurley goes back to college and gets whatever job he wants. Yeah.

So here's the thing. If he doesn't take the job because you have it on good authority this 100 million dollar offer. I already thought before I heard that I thought maybe it would be a six year deal.

Eighty million dollars. That's what I was I was kind of thinking. But yeah. And maybe and maybe that's maybe it's something like that with incentives added to it.

But it's in that it's in that neighborhood. Like let's let's look at it that way. But but I thought he would take that and go to Lakers if he doesn't take it. Why wouldn't he be the next Lakers coach. Why would he say no to this.

Jeannie Buston rock link are in that meeting room right now. He and Andrea his wife are asking some questions. He's asking questions about how much control he would have. He's finding out if Brian James is literally part of this deal which I think is possible.

I think that LeBron James is attracted to Dan Hurley and Luke Murray or at least right hand man. Their ability to develop kids. Brian James is a kid.

I want to be as clear as possible. I hope it works out incredibly well. But the coverage around Brian James Zach in my humble opinion has been disgusting. I agree.

It's it's disgusting. You have people that are inventing narratives and that are flat out lying and are setting very very very unfair expectations for an 18 year old kid that are not right and not fair because he's LeBron James's son. Brian James should be in college. He should be in an Atlantic 10 program you know or maybe a big East program. He should be playing at that around that level as a role guy on a team getting better and better and maybe getting a shot. He should have came back and transferred to Duquesne.

That's what I thought. Would you rejoice the point of that connection 100 percent. This notion that he's going to appear in NBA games is not true. But the notion that he could be in the G League program with South Bay with the South Bay Lakers who practice in the same facility as the L.A. Lakers UCLA training and health center. That to me means LeBron wants someone to take care of his son. Is Danny OK with that. Is he OK with the package deal. This comes down to Danny's list of demands getting mostly met.

I think he could sacrifice a couple of things then pushing back on. But I think the narrative is LeBron has total control of the Lakers and the narrative is fair because that's what's happened in the past with organizations. But are you willing if you're Dan Hurley are you willing to sacrifice let's just say two years of LeBron James if he has control of the organization per se. But you're told by the Lakers brass you know what you're still going to be the long term option here. This is what you're going to be making and you will have control if he has some level of control. I think he takes it if they come back and say to him you're going to have no control Dan you're the head coach we're paying you this will tell you what to do.

There's a world where I think you don't mess with happy a guy who's gone through some mental health battles like Dan's been very outspoken about that where he says you know what. I'm going to get you kind of increase my deal. Let's just throw it out there. Eight nine million if not 10 million a year. I'll make incentives.

I'm not going to mess with happy. I'll go try to be John Wooden in college because that's what he thought about with college. He has a picture of John Wooden in his office. He wants to be college basketball's modern John Wooden. You could say that's crazy but that's how this guy's wired.

John Fanta here with us. So let me ask you this John when you just go through and I read your article was great article and you talked about how UConn made him an offer that would make him one of the highest paid coaches in college basketball. I could ask why didn't he sign that and you could easily say OK because this Lakers possibility is out there and this is legit as we've seen.

But is there something more to that. Like is he happy with the money that they offered him. Is there a problem with the administration. Is there anything out there why he has not signed it other than hey this Lakers job ended up becoming available. So this is the million dollar question and I'm going to start my answer by saying we really don't know the exact answer to the question. OK because I have asked people around the situation around the Hurley contract situation people very close to it.

You know some off the record questions and Zach even their answers to me have been a bit blurry to me. This is what my interpretation of the situation is. This is my interpretation. Hurley receives a contract offer from Connecticut after the season ends shortly after their second straight national championship season ends. That offer is very lucrative making Hurley one of the three or four three or four was what I was told highest paid coaches in college basketball. Now there are people out there who instantly say and I'm sure there's commenters right now who are saying give them all the money in the world make them number one.

Zach here is what you kind of battling and there's there's there's two two sides of this one. They are a state school. The football program is drowning right there in a very difficult spot. They don't have a conference.

This is not Alabama football or Kentucky basketball. There are millions of dollars in debt already. This contract would add to the debt.

You and I both know this. I know the casual sports fan would would scoff at this. But when you have a state university state employees in the state government and you put out the details this contract because it's freedom of information this isn't some private school. That's going to make political things happen. That's going to cause some people to scoff and say nobody's worth what what they are putting on the table for him that that won some of the politics at play. I think have caused things to not get done with this with this deal not get formalized but based on what I know about what Hurley was offered. Really no reason for him not to agree to it to be candidly honest with you. So to me him not agreeing to it inclines that maybe there's always been some light dialogue.

And I think a key part of this based on people that I talk with in the industry is that at a certain point. A Lakers player or two or three not named LeBron James said you know I like JJ Redick but I don't know if I love this smartest guy in the room I'm going to talk down I'm going to talk at you I know it all type thing when I played against him and I kind of like I get it but I don't. I think that that thing caused Rob Palenka and Jeannie bus to reopen the door and all of a sudden when they started to ask again about Hurley what was he's mildly interested became he's interested and he wants to talk. And woes is a big part of that and I just wonder like I'm sure the Lakers reach out to woes said is he interested or maybe someone Laker said hey you may want to check in with Danny Hurley because we've been talking to him because they wanted this story out there for whatever the reasons were that you know I think there's some level of truth I would imagine to that and was a big piece of that. He is the piece in it, and I want to make this clear. I respect the heck out of Adrian roads are asking he is the standard news breaker in sports.

That's not a political statement by me it's not to puff him up, which is the best of what he does. But I do quite literally think that the Lakers talk with whoa about any other candidates whoa has a personal relationship with Dan Hurley with his father Bob senior and his brother Bobby. Whoa floated it today and his people and got back. Yeah, he's interested. So, this is this is happening in real time, right now, the money, the brand, all of that is real.

One thing I would push back up two things I would push back on that. Number one, some of the reporting out there. This tells me that that whoa just talking to directly to, you know, directly to Dan. If you've heard some of the reporting, the reporting is that, you know, Yukon doesn't play in the Big Ten or SEC or Big 12. They're dealing with a with a with Big East and and the Big East doesn't have football dollars and this revenue sharing and lack of football TV money, which very ironically Zach, the Big East is squarely in TV renewal negotiations. As we are talking as this is also happening, and we both know Yukon's brand matters in the in those negotiations, but this whole notion that that there's not enough money. Connecticut's making more than enough money to happen for you kind of continue to be at the mountaintop Yukon's different than Villanova, Georgetown, St. John Seton Hall Providence, their state school that has big time money that will commit to basketball. They just gave Gino or Emma a max deal at his age a huge deal.

Let's face that was a that was a massive deal. The other thing is this, you know, this notion that Hurley would be leaving Yukon would be leaving the college game because the volatility of college basketball, with all due respect is a bunch of bull. There's nothing volatile and stores Connecticut Palace basketball is going through a chaotic time you don't think NIL and transfer portal plays a role in this. I don't. Okay, now I don't.

I really don't. This is the Lakers. If the Cavaliers have an opener opening. If the Cavs called Dan Hurley would hang up the phone. You're probably right so.

So my point is, like, if that were the case if your argument was the case. Then he'd be going to the NBA regardless. And he's not, I think he would take three NBA coaching jobs.

The Lakers, the Celtics, or the Knicks. Yeah, you're probably right in that like I do think it's easier now lifestyle to be a pro coach that it is college. But, um, yeah, the Cavs came calling I don't think he's he he's leaving so last thing I'll ask you, as we wrap it up with john Fanta. I'm at an 85% confidence that Hurley is taking this job, but what number you at right now that he's the next Lakers coach.

75 75% of the remaining 25 because of what I know with with what you can situationally can put together. You know, if he's a little bit uncomfortable with LA. His dad is in Jersey City. His parents have lived in the same Jersey City home forever, forever. Pops might have Bobby in Arizona State but if you ask the family. Bob senior seeing Dan, a Yukon, a heck of a lot more than he's going out to Tempe to see Bobby, let's face it.

Do they have enough money to move the family and do all that, of course, of course, of course. But you know, you've got a son on Wall Street, Dan, Dan Jr is a Seton Hall grad works on Wall Street, you know works in New York City. You've got another son and Andrew who could follow you to the Lakers. This family's been attached to the northeast for five decades, six decades, we're talking about, you know, a half century the hurleys have been attached to this part of the country where I'm talking to you now. That 25% just says, you know, there's there's a there's so many variables that places the Lakers that there could be more cons to Hurley's life and to his wife's life that his wife says, Dan, we're going back to Connecticut.

You're going for a 3p and we're going to we're not messing with happy because of how much it took us to get there. If he does leave come on a young is the next coach that would be my first guess. That is my take, you know, as somebody told me that that's around stores that, you know, that has some some clout there and some of the decision-making all it takes is one. All it takes is one name to be interested on the outside for them to reconsider. But if you're not going to elevate somebody in the family now who's deserving when are you ever going to do it number one and two all these other coaches have fielded their rosters like people don't understand this the these players on these other teams, Alabama, Texas, Duke, Kentucky, Arkansas. They're on their campuses. They're going to class. They've enrolled.

They're in practice. The 2024-25 season has started for these teams. We're not thinking about it, but all these teams they're starting their road to March now all these rosters have been built the NIL cash is going to get distributed. So if you go and hire an outsider who's available even to feel the roster and you don't want to lose you kind of the top 10 roster on paper in college basketball right now.

Do you want to lose pieces of that? But the other thing is if those kids were to enter the transfer portal Zach, which if Hurley leaves they have 30 days to do so. Where are they going right now in college basketball? Once the kid commits there are other kids on the team that see him commit and they've been going elsewhere the last two months. They don't want to compete for a role. They want their cash. They want to know what their role is on the team.

You got to keep that aligned if you're Yukon. You built your roster. I only wonder what Alex Caravan is thinking right now because Hurley got him to come back. You elevate Kimani Young.

That's what I think that they will do or Luke Murray if Kimani does not want it for some reason. He is John Fanta. John, good luck on the move and good luck on the on the search with Dan Hurley because I know this is going to be a wild next few days. Thanks for doing this. Thank you, Zach. Appreciate it. There he is, John Fanta. Let's get the update and we'll react to that on the other side.

Here he is, the act man, Rich Ackerman. All right. It is the Infinity Sports Network with Wendy's $3 English muffin deal. You don't just get breakfast. You get a proper meal. Get your choice of a sausage or bacon, egg and cheese English muffin sandwich with small seasoned potatoes.

Grab yours today. Terms apply, and the NASCAR Cup Series heads west to Sonoma Raceway in California for the Toyota Save Mart 3 50 Martin Truex Jr. Sits fifth in the Cup Series, but is the favorite to win with 5 to 1 odds as Denny Hamlin tries to maintain his lead atop the standings. So good stuff for John Fanta. That was a crazy final last 40 minutes from the Uber, his phone dying, to then him joining us as they're trying to move into a house, his wife interrupting the interview in the background. And then, oh, yeah, by the way, all the Dan Hurley information. So Dan Hurley is in L.A. today. And as we speak, I believe he's meeting with Jeannie Buss and Rob Polinka. And I do think we're going to get a decision by at the latest Monday. I think by Monday, the latest we will know you meet today, you know what their offer is, you know what Yukon's offering.

Whether you agree to it there and you take the job on the spot or you fly back right to your headquarters and you want to talk to family, you stay in L.A. and you jump on Zoom or a phone call and talk to family and whatnot. But I even said I think it's at an 85 percent chance now. John said 75 percent. And John's is plugged into college basketball as anybody. With working for the Big East and working for Fox, and I really do believe John Fanta is like the future voice.

Of college basketball. So he's as plugged in as anybody. And I don't think John would say that without feeling like that's the way that he legitimately did think this was going to go about. So the only reason why he wouldn't take it is what John alluded to. It's a family component where most of your family is in the Northeast. And for most of your life, you've been on the East Coast. And you'd be going all the way to the West Coast. But John's right on that. That's one hundred million dollar offer.

Like I felt good thinking yesterday it was six years, 80 million. If this is more than that, I don't get it. You don't take it. You know, I understand the family component of this. I understand you're comfortable right now and you're king. But if you have a dream, which Dan Hurley has admitted he does, if you have a dream of one day coaching in the NBA, why wait four or five years when the Los Angeles Lakers are calling? And to John's point, I think he brings up a good point. The Cavs are calling and John's a Cleveland guy. That's not, hey, we're going to go poo poo on the Cleveland Browns.

I'm in the Cleveland Cavaliers. You know, John fans is a Cleveland guy. But if this was the Cavs, if this was the Thunder who have an incredibly good young roster, if this was the Memphis Grizzlies, I don't think he's taking the job.

But John's probably right. Lakers, Celtics, Knicks, the three jobs that he would take in the NBA. And one of them is offering you supposedly a lucrative contract, a ridiculous contract. And I still ask the question and this is why and this is where I got to why I felt like he was taking the job. And why ultimately the coach, the Lakers, they offered him that deal a while ago.

Yukon. It is a fair offer. It is a good offer. Right. John basically just told us the numbers or alluded to the numbers in the last segment. So he hasn't signed that deal yet. Why? Oh, wasn't because he was going to Kentucky.

What else is it? And then boom, this Lakers story comes out. Makes me think he's going to take the gig.

Makes me think he's gonna be next coach of Lakers. And I hope you find out about this by tomorrow. I don't sit here to the rest of today. I don't sit here through all tomorrow, Saturday, Sunday and then Monday.

Like I would like to find this answer out by tomorrow. You with the Lakers today? You decide in the next 24 hours and tomorrow by this time, let's get the announcement and let's see. Are you gonna stay or are you gonna go?

And I think he is gonna go and I think he'll be the next coach of the Lakers. All right. We'll take a break.

855 212 42 27 855 212 42 27. When we come on back, we'll get to a little onside offside since it is a Friday edition of the extravaganza. Santa's got some questions for me. I'll give you some answers. We'll also get back into the NBA Finals since we basically just devoted the last hour all to Dan Hurley. Brad Stevens is a wizard. We'll talk about that. Kyrie Irving ended up being a fraud last night. And what he was trying to tell us was obviously all a bunch of just phony information and lies. We'll get into all that Game 1 reaction when we come on back.