“We have Diana and you guys don’t”: When $18 million worth Geno Auriemma recalled 'pissing people off' while acclaiming Diana Taurasi

Geno Auriemma detailed his initial impression of having Diana Taurasi as UConn's leader in the Dec. 5, 2020, Instagram live with the Phoenix Mercury guard. As Taurasi reminisced about the talented players she played with and against during college, Auriemma shared an instance from the 2002 offseason practice.

Auriemma, who is worth $18 million per CelebrityNetWorth, said watching Taurasi glue the roster together in the first two weeks of preseason training made him believe the program can continue winning championships.

"Sometime during those first two weeks of preseason," Auriemma said (21:22), "I remember standing there, and after one particular practice, I remember turning around and going, 'Damn, I think we can be as good as we were last year, I can't believe it.'

"Because everybody did their little part, and those little parts you could see, we're going to add up to a big part. Nobody tried to do stuff they couldn't do, nobody showed up during practice and go, 'I don't feel like it today.' ... And you kind of made it all work.

"People would get pissed off of me when I said, 'We have Diana and you don't.' They didn't know what I was talking about."

Geno Auriemma's initial reservations about his squad could have stemmed from losing key players like Swin Cash, Sue Bird, Tamika Williams and Asjha Jones.

Diana Taurasi's leadership helped optimize freshmen Ann Strother, Barbara Turner, Willnett Crockett and Nicole Wolff into the system and mount another title run. Taurasi averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals on 46.9% shooting, helping UConn to three NCAA titles from 2001 to 2004.

---

Diana Taurasi and Geno Auriemma discuss the changes WNBA should implement

As Geno Auriemma and Diana Taurasi discussed the diversity of playing styles and key skills necessary for becoming a good player, Auriemma asked DT what rule changes she would like to see in the WNBA. Taurasi said that a change in the 3-point line and the number of personal fouls allowed can help the league.

"I think it's time to pull the 3-point line back," Taurasi said (49:20). "I think we need more space in our game. Players are getting bigger.

"I think they should pull it back to five fouls. Six is way too many. Six, you could just foul all game and you're good, then you bring up the next schmuck in."

While Geno Auriemma joked with Taurasi about committing "dumb" fouls, he agreed with her idea. He reasoned that six fouls in the NBA come in handy because the men's league plays eight extra minutes per game.