Paige Bueckers and UConn coach Geno Auriemma share a close bond and some details of it were revealed recently. During the WNBA All-Star Weekend in July, Bueckers joined Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe for the live recording of their 'A Touch More' podcast.
The episode was released last week and one segment was about coach Geno Auriemma's famous quotes from practice. Paige Bueckers explained:
"With coach, it's just like the exaggerations. Like the, you're the worst player he's ever coached. You're the dumbest person he's ever met. Like all these exaggerations. Like, I know you're lying. I don't care what you say.
"My favorite thing is when he's like, 'I've been coaching for forty years, I've seen it all' and then the next practice he'll be like, 'That's the dumbest s*** I've ever seen. I've never seen that before in my life.' And I'm like, 'Bro, you can't have both. You have to pick one. Have you seen it or have you not?'"
When Sue Bird asked if Bueckers is able to give it back to him during practice, the guard replied:
"Yeah always. But CD (Chris Dailey) gets mad when I go back with him and I'm like, 'This is not your area. Me and coach, we're having a thing. CD's like, 'Don't talk back' and I'm like, 'He's talking to me. It's just the vibe.'"
When Geno Auriemma urged Paige Bueckers to be more aggressive
After UConn's Final Four loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes last season, coach Auriemma pointed out that Paige Bueckers' non-aggressive nature was one of the reasons for the loss. He urged her to be more selfish and value herself instead of looking to be the greatest teammate ever.
In the preparations for the upcoming season, coach Auriemma reiterated the same. In an interview with The Athletic, he said:
“She’s too nice, too caring about what other people think. Don’t get me wrong, that’s a great, great quality. I just don’t know if it’s a great quality for (a) killer superstar.”
This could be Paige Bueckers' last chance at winning a championship, as she will be playing her final college season. The Huskies won their last championship in 2016 and fans are hopeful that Bueckers will lead them to their next.
While she has already established herself as the best college player, a title would be the crowning glory, putting Bueckers in the same league as Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart.
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