The college basketball community exploded Wednesday after a fake report claimed UConn Huskies’ Dan Hurley faced a season-long suspension.
The report claimed Hurley used slurs toward officials after getting a technical foul during UConn’s 103–98 overtime win over Providence Friars, but the incident never happened. Even so, the false story drew millions of views before fans realized it was a hoax.
The troll account behind the hoax has pulled similar stunts all season. Plus, Hurley’s reputation as a sideline hothead made the lie believable. Initially, fans got tricked, shared it, and then got pissed when reality hit the college hoops community.
Desperate Fake Rumor About Dan Hurley Calling Refs Slurs Goes Viral
The bogus report came from Rob Reinhart’s X account, which masquerades as a legitimate sports journalist. Right at this moment, over 5 million have already seen the fake post. The problem is that several sports websites shared the fake story as if it were real basketball news.
“I’m told that after he received a technical foul during last night’s game against Providence, he called the officials slurs,” the fake report claimed. It stated the NCAA possessed audio and video evidence.
#BREAKING: UConn HC Dan Hurley is facing a possible season-long suspension for abuse of officials, per sources.
I’m told the after he received a technical foul during last night’s game against Providence, he called the officials, “r*tarded f*ggots.” The NCAA has audio and video… pic.twitter.com/I0OvrRP5eO
— Rob Reinhart (@RealRobReinhart) January 8, 2026
Hurley did receive his first technical of the season before halftime. UConn athletic director David Benedict confirmed the T occurred “shortly after leaving the court.” But no credible outlet verified any investigation or slur allegations, or shared any video clips.
The Huskies and NCAA haven’t revealed any such investigation and Reinhart’s account has no ties to ESPN, On3, or any legitimate media organization. The account previously quoted known parody reporter Scott Hughes as “one of the last true ethical journalists.”
Folks realized the post was fabricated much later. Once they caught on, they quickly turned their anger toward the fake news supplier.
Fans Rip Troll Account for Spreading Misinformation about Dan Hurley
College basketball fans torched Reinhart’s account once the hoax was exposed.
“Clout-chasing troll fools 5 million with fake Dan Hurley slur story,” one fan wrote.
Another added, “Someone who’s not an idiot could control himself and show more class and be a better role model for his players. So yes Hurley is an idiot.”
A third shared, “I know it’s been posted a bunch of times on this picture. But it bares repeating that you’re a fucking moron and it’s common practice for teams that win championships to visit the White House.”
A fourth fan claimed, “Totally fake. Made up by a guy with 7000 followers trying to be relevant.”
The fifth one remarked, “The guy who broke the story is a troll who posts fake shit to get a rise out of people. Someone should sue his ass.”
Reinhart’s account has spread multiple fake college hoops stories throughout the season. It previously posted fabricated reports about Ed Cooley leaving Georgetown and investigations into UConn’s athletic department. His bio claims he works for “the Herald,” a newspaper that hasn’t existed since 1924.
