“He’s been the most impactful person in my life, ” Karaban told AP. “He’s challenged me on and off the court, helping me develop habits like reading and meditating. Anytime I have a problem, I know I can turn to him.”

The Huskies are trying join the John Wooden-coached UCLA teams as the only programs with three consecutive men’s NCAA Division I national titles. None of this would have happened without the Hurley-Karaban partnership.

In the transfer portal era when star players either bolt for the NBA after a season or two or seek out greener pastures at another program, Hurley and Karaban have chosen differen