"Everybody's there for a bigger reason": UConn's Paige Bueckers describes Geno Auriemma's way of keeping the team a "tight-knit" unit

Even though Geno Auriemma has yet to lead Paige Bueckers to a national championship, his impact on the culture has been remarkable. The Italian-American coach has led the school to 11 NCAA titles, including a record-setting four consecutive championship runs from 2013-2016.

When Paige Bueckers was asked about Geno Auriemma's impact on UConn's culture by Flau'jae Johnson on the "Best of Both Worlds" podcast, the potential 2025 WNBA top pick highlighted Auriemma's methods.

“Honestly, the biggest thing I would say is everybody's important,” Bueckers said. “Whether it be the players, the manager, the coaching staff, the DOBO, people who rebound for us, practice players, everybody plays an important role," she added.

"Everybody only sees the stuff on the court and the players producing but every single person is important, everybody plays a role and everybody has value. So, I would say that's the biggest thing and the family camaraderie, the chemistry, no egos, no personal agendas. Everybody's there for a bigger reason than yourself. I would say that's like UConn culture really," she added.

"Everything's tight-knit very together and especially for me in my class, like the adversity that we face, the strength that we've showed and the perseverance, coach never let us get down and feel like what we wanted to attain was unattainable, like he always kept us going and motivated,” Paige Bueckers followed.

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Geno Auriemma played a huge role in Paige Bueckers' decision to run it back one last time with the UConn Huskies. Bueckers was slated to compete for the first pick in the 2024 WNBA drafts.

However, due to the lack of an NCAA title in her resume and Auriemma's consistent motivation, Bueckers chose to let go of her draft candidacy.

Paige Bueckers will be part of two big leagues in 2026

In one of her newest collaborations, Paige Bueckers has officially entered the star-studded roster list of the Unrivaled Basketball League. The tourney is spearheaded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier as an initiative to keep competitive basketball going during the offseason.

The games will be played in a 3-on-3 format and the inaugural event is slated for the upcoming winter. However, Bueckers’ Unrivaled League debut will occur in 2026, when she’s officially part of the big league.

Nevertheless, it does not restrict Paige Bueckers from enjoying the perks of joining early. She already has an NIL deal planned for her collegiate tenure and will also receive ownership equity in the new league.