Stephen A. Smith picks Geno Auriemma over Bill Belichick, Phil Jackson and more as "greatest ever"

Geno Auriemma was the subject of discussion after he and the UConn Huskies defeated South Carolina 82-59 to secure the NCAA championship on Sunday. On Monday’s episode of "First Take," ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith spoke about Auriemma’s legacy, highlighting his achievements over six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick and 11-time NBA champion coach Phil Jackson.

“I think it’s easy to call him the greatest ever,” Smith said.“It’s four different decades that he has done this. Let’s take into account the marvelous athletes that he has had. He recruits. In 40 years, he has gone to 24 Final Fours, he has got 12 national titles, only one loss in a national title game, and the success is sustainable.”

Smith also highlighted Auriemma's ability to evolve with the game since taking over the UConn program in 1985. He led squads that featured players like Rebecca Lobo, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart. Auriemma has led the charge with the Huskies, as they have secured 12 national championships, 30 conference titles and a record 111-game winning streak.

Auriemma also led the U.S. women’s basketball team to an undefeated run from 2009 to 2016 at the World Championships and the Olympics.

Geno Auriemma talks about how winning his 12th title made him feel

After leading UConn to its 12th national championship on Sunday night, Geno Auriemma reflected on what the win meant to him at this stage of his career and why it felt rewarding.

The win against the Gamecocks improved his record in title games to 12-1, with his only loss coming in 2022 to South Carolina. Auriemma acknowledged the challenges of the job and expressed his commitment.

“There’s going to come a time when the fun doesn’t outweigh how hard it is,” Auriemma said. “But today, they made it all worthwhile.”

Auriemma continued to speak as he reflected on his age and longevity and often considered retirement but was rejuvenated by being around young athletes.

“I may be 71 number-wise,” Auriemma said. “But I think otherwise I’m more able to do stuff with these young people because I’m around them every day and they rub off on me.”

After the game, he joked about being the oldest coach to win a Division I basketball title (men’s or women’s). He recalled times when people believed that he should have retired after Breanna Stewart’s fourth-straight title in 2016, but he chose to continue coaching.

“You make the decision you’re not finished yet,” Auriemma said. “Then the years go by, and people start saying UConn isn’t UConn anymore, and then seven years go by.”

UConn beat three No. 1 seeds in the tournament and dominated their Final Four games, winning them by a combined 57 points. The trio of Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and freshman Sarah Strong were impressive as they combined for 65 points in the championship game and 57 in the semifinal against UCLA. Fudd finished as the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.