At the close of his introductory press conference, new Chicago Bulls EVP Bryson Graham set a bold tone for the franchise’s future. When NBA sportswriter Sam Smith pressed him about the qualities he wants in the next head coach, Graham made it clear: his vision for the Bulls is focused, ambitious and ready to usher in a new era inside the Madhouse on Madison.

“We want the right guy,” Graham said. “You just want the most talented person that you believe in. Think about the draft. I’m not saying that the kid from BYU is the first pick in the draft, but he didn’t win a championship this year. Doesn’t mean that he’s not talented enough to be the franchise player going forward or whatever the case may be. I feel the same way about staff, and at every point in the position. Let’s find the most competent and most talented people. And that can be a coach that you may not have even heard of, and I might get killed for it, but if I believe in him I’m [going to] hire him.”  

With a plethora of names linked to the Bulls’ vacant head coaching position, one who has not been mentioned — or even discussed — is UConn’s Dan Hurley. A combustible, demanding, deeply competitive coach whose sideline intensity mirrors the identity of the teams he builds: Hurley is “SLAP” personified.  

The son of legendary New Jersey coach Bob Hurley Sr. and brother of Bobby Hurley, Dan Hurley has transformed UConn from an inconsistent contender into a national powerhouse. Since his arrival in Storrs in 2018, Hurley has rebuilt the Huskies’ reputation with relentless recruiting, elite player development and a fiercely emotional coaching style; one that players describe as exhausting, but undeniably effective.

If Graham is serious about instilling a culture of intensity and tenacity while putting player development front and center, there may be no better fit than Hurley. His coaching persona defines his national reputation. He’s notorious for animated clashes with referees, raw postgame emotion and a relentless obsession with detail. Admirers see unfiltered authenticity and burning competitive drive; critics call it volatility.

One of the main critiques that seems to follow Hurley is that his coaching methods and antics wouldn't translate over to the NBA or sit well with professionals who are no longer young men looking for guidance, but adults who already know who they are and what they want: to win games. But when you take a deeper look behind the scenes and watch the mad scientist himself at work, you begin to see why he is so revered and respected among his peers,  as well as why anyone who plays for him loves him. Hurley is relentless about the work, grit, accountability and all of the microscopic details that go into becoming a master of your craft and being regarded among the elite of the elite. 

Towards the end of an interview in 2024 with Graham Bensinger, leading up to an incredible run as Hurley led the Huskies to win the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship (for the second year in a row), Hurley elaborated on why he doesn't care about what people think of his notorious intensity and passion.

"This isn't a marathon; this is total all-out, Olympic sprint", Hurley noted. "I don't think me conserving energy for when I'm 65 years old so that I can keep coaching at a high level or making a lot of money is very fair to the players that you coach, or young coaches that deserve an opportunity. I think the way that you're supposed to do this job is to absolutely obsess over every aspect of it. When you have absolutely nothing left to give to it, and when burnout starts to come on because you're pressing that hard, then you go away and you let somebody else do it. We're talking a lot about dynasty. History's not gonna repeat itself in this program because we've won back-to-back championships. It's the men in the circle that are gonna do it." 

Bryson Graham seems to take pride in being willing to go the untrodden path. If his words hold true, Hurley and a new, young, ambitious Chicago Bulls team seem like a match made in heaven.