"I wouldn't trade her for anybody else": UConn HC Geno Auriemma doubles down on his Paige Buckers 'best player in America' take ahead of Sweet 16 game

When Geno Auriemma declared that Paige Bueckers was the 'best player in America' after winning 72-64 against Syracuse on Monday, he had no idea of the stir it would create. As Caitlin Clark is widely regarded as the best player in the country, this statement caused a commotion.

In the press conference a day before third-seeded UConn was set to meet seventh-seeded Duke in the Portland 3 regional semifinals, Auriemma said:

“I didn’t realize I was causing a stir,”...

But Geno Auriemma stood by his pick on Paige Auriemma as he continued:

“If you go by stats, if you go by efficiency, if you go by the entire box score and what she means to our team, I think she’s done more for our team than anybody,” he said. “I wouldn’t trade her for anybody else.”

He also added:

“I bet if you asked USC they wouldn’t say Caitlin is the best player in the country. I bet if you asked LSU they wouldn’t say Caitlin is the best player in the country. I bet you Texas wouldn’t say that.”

The head coach of UConn lavished praise on the Paige Bueckers, saying:

"I've coached the best player in the country a lot more than anybody else coaching in this tournament... I think she's done more for our team than anybody else could've done on our team."

Coach's praise humbles Paige Bueckers

Paige Bueckers was surprised when she heard it from her coach. She was sitting next to Auriemma at the press conference.

“You sort of wouldn’t expect him to say it because of what happens in practice and what happens in the game, how much he yells at you during that,” Bueckers said with a smile on Friday. “But just very humbling, very grateful. Obviously he’s a great basketball mind, has a lot of love for the game, so you respect everything that he says.”

Paige Bueckers has suffered major injuries throughout her career, despite this, the junior guard averages impressive numbers of 21.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 3.5 steals in the tournament.

Last year, with Paige recovering from a torn ACL, the UConn bounced back in the Sweet 16. Saturday's match with Duke will decide their Elite Eight entry.