When Geno Auriemma’s son Mike spoke about close bond with Sue Bird: “People are starting to see more of your personality”

Four years ago, WNBA star Sue Bird joined UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma's son Mike on an Instagram Live. The two discussed various topics, including Bird's personality being more on display.

"I think now that you're getting more and more into broadcasting and you're kinda more out there in the media side of things, people are starting to see more of your personality."

Geno Auriemma is in his 40th season at UConn and coached Bird when she played for the Huskies from 1998 to 2002. In their Instagram live, Bird and Auriemma's son Mike reflect on their friendship, a friendship which likely emerged from their shared ties to Auriemma. However, the pair also share interests outside of basketball.

"I think one reason you and I have always kind of been friends is people may not know how your sense of humor and how [you're] into movies and music and all the stuff outside of basketball," Mike told Bird.

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At the time of their interview, Bird was still playing guard for the Seattle Storm, where she spent the entirety of her 20-year WNBA career before retiring in 2022. She was just beginning to dabble in broadcasting.

These days, the former WNBA star can be seen on several ESPN programs. Sue Bird hosts an ESPN 2 show "The Bird & Taurasi Show" with former teammate Diana Taurasi, where the two cover college basketball and the NBA. She is also the host of "Sue's Places," an ESPN docuseries that discusses the history of college basketball.

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Sue Bird's stint at UConn under Geno Auriemma

Sue Bird became a two-time national champion at UConn, helping lead the Huskies to the title in 2000 and 2002. She was given the Nancy Lieberman Award for the nation's top point guard three times in her college career and was named the 2002 Naismith Player of the Year, Wade Trophy winner, AP National Player of the Year, and USBWA National Player of the Year.

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The talented guard went on to be the top pick in the 2002 WNBA draft and was a WNBA-record 13-time All-Star. She guided the Storm to four WNBA championships, and the team retired her number in 2023. This year, she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

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Geno Auriemma's 2024-25 UConn team

Auriemma hasn't seen the same NCAA Tournament success as when Sue Bird played for the Huskies as of late. UConn hasn't won a title since 2016, despite making it to two Final Fours and a championship game in the past four years. This season, star guard Paige Bueckers is determined to change that.

"It's definitely National Championship or bust," Bueckers said at Big East Media Day. "That's always been the case here at UConn."

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The Huskies sit atop their conference and are 26-3 this season. They are expected to be a two-seed in March Madness, and Bueckers will likely be the No. 1 pick in this year's WNBA draft.

The potential for another top draft pick out of UConn feels reminiscent of the Sue Bird era, so hopefully, Auriemma's squad can find that same success this postseason.