Did Geno Auriemma inspire Dan Hurley to consider a Lakers job?

Dan Hurley is considering the possibility of leaving UConn to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, and some are wondering if a conversation with Geno Auriemma had anything to do with it.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski stunned the basketball world Thursday morning with news that the Lakers were pushing hard to hire Hurley. Auriemma, who has coached the UConn women’s basketball team for nearly 40 years, discussed the big news during an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show.”

Auriemma said he mentioned the Lakers’ work to Hurley when the two coaches were together at an event Wednesday night. Auriemma says the remark was completely random and that he didn’t know Hurley was in talks with the Lakers.

“I had an affair with him last night and I have no idea what’s going on,” Auriemma said. “I have no idea where this is going and what’s going on, but I just leaned over and said, ‘Hey, I think you could win a lot of championships with the Lakers, more than a guy who’s never been a coach.’ He just looked at me and nodded and we had a good laugh, and this morning I wake up and there it is.

The inexperienced coach Auriemma was referring to is JJ Redick, who appeared to have the Lakers head coaching job locked in before the Hurley news broke.

Auriemma claims he made the comment to Hurley “out of nowhere” and was shocked when he saw Wojnarowski’s report Thursday morning.

Skeptics will say that Auriemma must have known something, otherwise it would be one hell of a coincidence. Others might wonder if Hurley had already turned down the Lakers and returned to show interest after discussing the job with Auriemma.

Fans were even more convinced that the Lakers were going to hire Redick after the former sharpshooter made a cryptic comment on Wednesday. Wojnarowski claims Hurley was Los Angeles’ first choice all along, so the only logical explanation is that Hurley initially turned down the Lakers and has since turned around.

Could Hurley’s conversation with Auriemma have had an impact on the back-to-back national champion coach? It seems unlikely, but you never know.