Geno Auriemma recalls Rebecca Lobo and other Hall of Famers, explains growing basketball trend that shapes Jana El-Alfy's development 

UConn Huskies freshman Jana El-Alfy put up respectable numbers in their 71-45 beatdown of the St. John's Red Storm on Wednesday, Jan. 15. The Cairo native dropped eight points on 4-for-5 shooting, six rebounds, an assist and a block in 17 minutes played as she continues to be the starting center for coach Geno Auriemma this 2024-2025 season.

As El-Alfy continues to develop her skillset and gain more experience in her first year of college basketball, she is steadily making a name for herself. Auriemma has a long list of standout alumnae, especially in the stalwart department such as Rebecca Lobo and Kara Wolters. With names like these to look up to, the first-year big has lofty expectations to reach in her collegiate career.

This is what Auriemma detailed in the post-game press conference of their win over St. John, where he reflected on his 40-year program's pride in developing quality frontcourt players and how El-Alfy could work towards that.

"We've always prided ourselves in having big kids that could impact the game on a lot of different ways. Going back to Kara Wolters and Rebecca Lobo, and moving on from there, the Hall of Famers that had played that position. So, as it relates to Jana, there's a lot of growing that she has to do," Auriemma shared. (8:00)

"There's a lot of learning that she has to do. She made a great comment the other day. She said, 'When I played over in Egypt, we didn't pay that much attention to the details that we pay attention to here.' So, that's a whole learning curve for a kid like that," he then continued.

But, the 70-year-old did affirm that El-Alfy is making strides towards her development in a gradual manner.

"She's learning (and) having more of an impact little by little everyday," Auriemma said then shared one comedic instance of one of her lapses, "I asked her to tip the ball backwards, a defensive tap, the other day. She volleyball-smashed it forward to one of the other guys on the other end. So, my Arabic isn't very good yet and I'm working on that." (8:55)

"I think that will help her grow a little bit more," he concluded.

Lobo and Wolters were quality UConn products that went on to become serviceable frontcourt personnel in the WNBA. If El-Alfy has aspirations to reach that level, she could trust in Auriemma's system for development.

Geno Auriemma realizes that the importance of quality stalwarts is drifting away in this age

Despite having standout freshmen stalwarts in Jana El-Alfy and Sarah Strong, Geno Auriemma admitted that he fully acknowledges that the importance of championship-winning teams to have frontcourt players that could take over the offense is slowly diminishing.

"There's a trend in basketball, in all levels from the top to the bottom NBA down, that the big man that used to exist back in the day isn't valued as much anymore...When it comes to using that player as a big part of your offense has kind of drifted away when that used to be the beginning point of your team," he expressed. (7:15)

Whomever players that Auriemma's current gameplan revolves around is working in their favor, as UConn sits atop of the Big East with a 7-0 record. They'll host the Seton Hall Pirates on Sunday, Jan. 19, in the hopes of maintaining their winning skid.