“Her game is different than Caitlin Clark’s”: UConn HC Geno Auriemma questions Paige Bueckers' WNBA build but sees shades of Sue Bird in her play 

Legendary UConn women`s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma recently appeared on The Dan Patrick Show to answer a few questions about women`s basketball. One of the subjects of discussion was current Huskies star guard Paige Bueckers.

Here are Auriemma's comments on whether or not Bueckers has "the build" to play in the WNBA (check from the 3:41 mark):

"No. Her [Bueckers] game is different than Caitlin's, in that she's more of a distributor: get the ball... you know. Her game is more like Sue Bird`s game. Alright? And not that Sue had the physicality to play in the league, but obviously she`s the best point guard ever."

Auriemma continued on Bueckers` potential to play pro in the WNBA, saying:

"I think her game--the subtleties of her game would translate. However, her rookie year, she will get it as bad as Caitlin`s getting it right now. `Cuz that`s just the world, man. That`s just the world, and you gotta learn to live with it. But yes, she will have a target on her back as well."

Paige Bueckers is about to enter her senior year for UConn, with the team due to have a redemption season following their recent loss in the Final Four. The native of Hopkins, Minnesota, was indeed draft-eligible for 2024 but chose to stay in Storrs to have another run at the national championship.

UConn women`s basketball has a relatively open field to go deep into March Madness. Bueckers is now expected to lead a resurgent Huskies WBB squad, with her upcoming 2024-2025 run potentially being her last before she chooses to turn pro finally.

Paige Bueckers hasn`t helped UConn women`s hoops win a national championship yet, with the program`s most recent win coming in 2016. Back then, New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart was still a freshman (via UConnHuskies.com).

Will Paige Bueckers help lead UConn to its first title in nine years?

For now, the question remains whether Paige Bueckers` immense talent (and March Madness experience) could finally help push Auriemma and his squad out of their championship drought. Still, they`ll have to deal with a new crop of stars, not to mention the sheer juggernaut that defending champion South Carolina still is.

For now, though, the Lady Gamecocks remain as clear title favorites. Dawn Staley and her squad`s odds outpace everybody else at +145, with the closest being Texas at +400 and UConn at +450 (via Vegas Insider).