Geno Auriemma gets real on the "harsh reality" for the new upcoming WNBA draft picks: "Some are gonna make it, some are not gonna make it"

Geno Auriemma shared his honest opinion on the future of some WNBA draft hopefuls during Sunday's media scrum following the UConn Huskies' championship parade.

Former UConn players Paige Bueckers and Aubrey Griffin, who recently captured the title with UConn following their win over South Carolina in the national championship game, are included in the 2025 WNBA draft prospects list. When asked what he sees in his players that makes him confident that they're ready for these next steps in their basketball careers, Auriemma said (Timestamp 6:33):

"All you can do is trust them. Trust that they’ve learned all the right lessons that they needed to learn. But nobody’s ready for it. It’s like when you ask a high school senior, ‘Hey, you ready for college to play at UConn?’ ‘Yeah, I got this.’ No, you don’t."

"It takes a while and it’s going to take a while. I don’t think anybody’s going to go in that league and all of a sudden their first impact is going to be huge. I don’t expect that. I think it’s going to take a while to get acclimated, to understand it. Again, I trust them."

Geno Auriemma then shared a reality check with players hoping to make it to the WNBA after college.

"Some are gonna make it and some are not gonna make it. Some are gonna make it big and some are not gonna last in the league. I mean, that’s just the harsh reality of it."

Comparing Paige Bueckers and Aubrey Griffin's numbers in their final season under Geno Auriemma

UConn legend Paige Bueckers is expected to be drafted first overall by the Dallas Wings on Monday night when the 2025 WNBA Draft commences in Manhattan, New York.

Bueckers finished her illustrious college basketball career with a bang, leading the UConn Huskies to their 12th national championship on Sunday. The senior guard recorded 17 points, six rebounds and three dimes in UConn's 82-59 win over South Carolina to capture her first NCAA title under Geno Auriemma.

Kaitlyn Chen (#20), Paige Bueckers (#5) and Aubrey Griffin (#44) of the UConn Huskies pose for a photo with the trophy after defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks in the 2025 NCAA title game. Photo: Getty

The Huskies' latest title wouldn't be possible without Bueckers, who posted impressive numbers in her final season in Storrs. She led the team in scoring and assists, averaging 19.9 points and 4.6 dimes through 38 games.

Aubrey Griffin also departs UConn as a national champion after spending five seasons under Geno Auriemma. She averaged 4.4 points and 3.4 rebounds through 16 games this 2024-25 campaign. She only made one start in her final season with the Huskies.