"This is a hard job, it takes a lot out of you": Geno Auriemma teases looming retirement while explaining why he stuck around at UConn

Geno Auriemma led UConn to its 12th national title on Sunday when the Huskies beat South Carolina 82-59 in the NCAA Tournament final at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Auriemma has now coached the Huskies for 40 seasons, and while there have been rumors of his retirement looming, the 71-year-old explained why he continued working at Connecticut.

In an interview with SNY after winning the championship and breaking a few more records along the way, Auriemma was asked if he felt better sticking around at UConn. The veteran coach teased a potential retirement with his answer while insisting that he still has a soft spot for coaching the Huskies despite the challenges that come with the job.

"Or do you say, do you feel like so fulfilled after all that, that you were ready to call it a day?" Auriemma responded (2:37). "So it could go either way, you know. But, no, I'm still enjoying what I'm doing. I'm still feeling like I have some relevance, you know, that I can still have some impact on these kids.

"But this is a hard job, you know. It's a hard job and it takes a lot out of you. And it takes a lot out of me, you know. It's not as easy as we make it look sometimes. But this day like today is what makes it all worth it."

UConn's triumph on Sunday ended the team's nine-year championship drought. The Huskies also extended their own record for most national titles in women's basketball, with 12. Tennessee is in second place with eight titles, while Baylor, Stanford and South Carolina are tied in third place with three titles each.

Stephen A. Smith labels UConn's Geno Auriemma the greatest coach

NCAA Womens Basketball: UConn Huskies HC Geno Auriemma - Source: Imagn

During Monday's episode of ESPN's "First Take," veteran analyst Stephen A. Smith called Geno Auriemma the greatest coach in American sports due to the longevity of his success.

"I think it is easy to call him the greatest ever," Smith said. "And the reason why I feel that way is because it is four different decades that he has done this."

Apart from his record 12 national titles, which is the most of any college basketball coach, Auriemma has also won 24 regular-season titles and 23 Big East conference titles with UConn.