Geno Auriemma is one of the most decorated women's basketball coaches of all time. For former UConn player Jennifer Rizzotti, Auriemma is not just the best in women's basketball, he is one of the greatest coaches in any sport.
While showering praises on her former coach, Rizzotti teased Auriemma about his weight. When asked about her experience being formerly coached by the younger version of Auriemma in a chat with TMZ Sports on Sunday, she said:
"Well, besides weighing a lot less than he does now, moving around a little bit faster, probably. He was also a lot fiestier, you know? I think we joke a lot about how he's gotten soft in his old age." (0.09 - 0:22)
"He was a little more fiery and probably a lot less patient back in the 90s than he is now. I think that has a lot to do with his old age than it does with being a different generation of kids." (0:23 - 0:34)
On Nov. 20, Auriemma became the winningest coach in both men's and women's college basketball history with 1,217 wins. Rizzotti, now president of the WNBA's Connecticut Sun, was among the ex-players present to celebrate the coach's achievement.
Continuing the chat with TMZ Sports, Rizzotti said it was "an easy one" for her to believe that Auriemma is the greatest coach of all time.
"Obviously, the records speaks for itself in terms of how many wins he has, having the most national championships ever of any coach," she said. "But I think, more importantly for me, it's about impact, and I think about how many women he has impacted in his career, each one of them has gone on to impact so many more." (0:52 - 1:13)
"I think when you measure your success over your career, it becomes a lot less about the records and the wins. He'll tell you it becomes a lot more about the lives you have impacted." (1:14 - 1:25)
Rizzotti, who was one of Auriemma's key players in his first UConn national championship team in 1995, acknowledged that there are other strong contenders for the greatest of all time title. However, she believes Auriemma has done more than enough to earn his place in the top five of the best in all sports.
She credited his consistency in sustaining a high level of success for over four decades.
Jennifer Rizzotti endorses Diana Taurasi as potential replacement for Geno Auriemma
Geno Auriemma has accomplished virtually all there is to accomplish in UConn's women's basketball program. He has led the Huskies to 11 NCAA championships, 22 Final Four appearances and numerous conference titles.
Rizzotti also believes it would be difficult for anyone to fill his shoes anytime he decides to leave UConn for good. However, if there is anyone who could do it, she thinks it would be Diana Taurasi, another former UConn star and women's basketball legend.
Taurasi plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA. But being in the final years of her career, a transition to coaching in the near future is a realistic option.
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