When Bobby Hurley was still a player he figured he would coach one day. He never imagined it would match the way the two-time NCAA champion and NBA first-round draft choice felt as a player, the emotions of a big game, the excitement of trying to dominate an opponent, the thrill of the bright lights.
Instead, the first-year University of Buffalo head coach said, it’s better.
“It’s more rewarding because you have an impact on kids’ lives,” he said in a phone interview. “Our kids are winning and they feel great about themselves, and they hope they can contend for a conference championship.”
Hurley already has made an impact at Buffalo, leading the Bulls to a five-win league improvement and a Mid-American Conference East division crown. They have matched the school’s all-time record league win total with 12, snapped a seven-game losing streak to Ohio and won at power Kent State for the first time in program history.
Buffalo (19-9, 13-5 in MAC) returned leading scorer Javon McCrea, in addition to starters Jarod Oldham and Will Regan, and Hurley, 42, added several key pieces on the fly. The biggest difference after a slow start has been on the defensive end, where the Bulls are allowing just 67.3 points per game.
McCrea, a supremely skilled 6-foot-7 forward averaging nearly a double-double who Hurley thinks is an NBA prospect, has been big a major factor in that area, blocking 2.2 shots a game. McCrea, in turn, credits Hurley with further developing his ball-handling and skill-set by spending extra time on skill development.
“He’s so much more of a well-rounded player under Bobby’s coaching,” Buffalo athletic director Danny White said of McCrea, the all-time leading scorer in school history.
Hurley never strayed too far from the sport after calling it quits following five injury-plagued seasons in the NBA, even when he was spending a decade of his life as a racehorse breeder and owner in Florida.
He would run coaching clinics with his dad, Hall of Fame high school coach Bob Hurley Sr. of St. Anthony in Jersey City, and his brother, Rhode Island head coach Dan. He scouted for Dan when St. Benedict’s Prep — the high school team he coached before making the move to college — played in the prestigious City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., and he took a position as a middle-school coach at Pine Crest High School, where he coached Brandon Knight, who would go on to star at Kentucky and now plays for the Pistons.
“When Danny and Bobby and I got together, we’d be talking about our different teams,” Bob Sr. recalled. “He didn’t get the same sense of satisfaction talking about the horses we got talking about the teams.”
When Dan left St. Benedict’s for Wagner College on Staten Island, he brought Bobby with him. Together, they led a 20-win turnaround in two years, turning over the program completely. Dan left before last season, moving on at Rhode Island, and Bobby was offered the job at Wagner. He turned it down to stay with his brother, but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity Buffalo offered.
He felt he was ready to be on his own, and he saw potential in Buffalo. Bobby developed a quick bond with White during the interview process. Despite just three years of college coaching experience, White tabbed Hurley. He was struck by his humble nature despite his many accomplishments, his vast knowledge as a player and coach under such respected leaders, and his New York and New Jersey roots. Getting an endorsement from Krzyzewski was the cherry on top.
“He seemed very ready to be a head coach and run a program, and he’s shown he’s ready for it with the success we’re having,” White said.
Hurley’s players laud his communication skills, his understanding of what it’s like to be a student-athlete. He’ll get in McCrea’s face when the senior isn’t giving enough effort, but he won’t rush back a role player nursing an injury. He listens to his veterans, rather than ruling with an iron fist.
Thus, McCrea described Hurley as a player’s coach and forward Will Regan said what’s impressed him about his new coach is the different way he connects with his players, some on the court, some off.
Hurley credits that to playing four years under Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, watching how well the legendary coach managed the egos of so many superstars. Krzyzewski was just part of Hurley’s education into the coaching fraternity, after his father and before his brother.
He’s taken coaching nuggets from all three. He uses a lot of Dan’s offensive ideas and he’s fiery like his brother on the sideline. His dad ingrained the importance of defense in him at a young age, demanding accountability from everyone, beginning with himself, and expecting success.
The same work ethic he had as a player, the I’m-going-to-outwork-you intensity and refuse to lose drive, he instills in his players and has cultivated as a recruiter, landing impact freshman Shannon Evans and assembling an impressive 2014 class.
“Having your Identity come across with your team is important,” Hurley said. “I learned that from them.”
Hurley is hands-on, more than willing to get his hands dirty, another lesson he learned from his dad, brother and Coach K, and what his players say make them push when their tank is on empty.
“Watching him in practice, it’s almost like an assistant coach,” White, the athletic director, said. “He’s the head coach and he has the respect as the head coach, but he’s as sweaty as the players are in practice.”
After all, Hurley still has the basketball itch — even if coaching has now become his calling.