UConn's Dan Hurley hasn't let NIL impact his 'tough' coaching style

UConn basketball head coach Dan Hurley is known as a tough-minded, no-nonsense type coach. He's hard on his players, but it's not without reason. 

The results speak for themselves, don't they?

Hurley won a national championship last season and he's on the precipice of winning another one. All that's standing in the way is a really good Purdue team on Monday night.

His system works. Even though he's not catering to the players — a decision some may say is dangerous in today's era of NIL and the transfer portal — Hurley believes he's doing right by his players by remaining tough.

“I’ll say this. I personally coach hard. The last two years since NIL started, I’ve coached my teams harder than I’ve coached any teams just because of everything that these guys now have at their disposal," Hurley told the media, per On3. "The resources that the University of Connecticut and programs now invest in these players is not for their attendance. It’s not just to be on campus. It’s to produce and to produce winning. The way we travel, you know, the residence, the full-service dining we have in our 40 million plus practice facility, the NIL opportunities.”

Hurley is basically treating his players like professionals, but isn't that what they are at this point anyhow? Sure, the facade of being a "college athlete" is still somewhat there, but with the money top players make in NIL deals comes great responsibility.

Hurley is basically teaching his players to not just talk the talk, but to walk the walk. And again, who could argue the results?