When UConn coach Geno Auriemma roasted Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi on their show - "Never thought I'd say yes" 

UConn coach Geno Auriemma has spent time with plenty of stars during his 39-year run with the Huskies, including Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, two of the greatest players to set foot on a college and WNBA court.

After coaching the Huskies to several titles that featured Bird and Taurasi, he got to know both players very well.

So much so that he was reluctant to join their "The Bird & Taurasi" show on ESPN. During a conversation with reporters in 2022, Auriemma said he wasn't interested in hearing what Bird and Taurasi had to say.

"When you've been around those two as long as I have, I really, truly have no interest in hearing anything they have to say. On any topic. Especially me. But I'm sure they were funny as hell," he said.

He eventually joined the show to keep knocking on the players, admitting that he doubted he would ever say "yes" to a potential invitation.

"I never thought I wouldn't be invited. I never thought I'd say yes, just honestly," coach Auriemma said.

Auriemma kept coaching promising players after Bird and Taurasi left, collecting silverware with other stars, including Maya Moore, who would go on to win four WNBA championships with the Minnesota Lynx.

Geno Auriemma heaps praise on Paige Bueckers' trait for teammates

It's been eight years since Geno Auriemma last won an NCAA championship, but he seemingly has a big chance to turn things around this season. Led by Paige Bueckers, the Huskies are one of the candidates to dethrone the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Speaking of Bueckers, Geno praised the way the guard makes her teammate better.

"Every time Paige has the ball and we would get ball screen, they were trapping her," Geno Auriemma said (3:12). "Well, that opens up a four on three situation and you have to capitalize on it and they kept doing it and we kept capitalizing on it."

"So, Paige just being on the floor helps everybody else be a better player and she's so unselfish she's not going to go out there and just start taking bad shots just to shoot the ball. And she's going to do other things, 10 rebounds and she's going to play good D and going to get her number of assists."

After several years, Auriemma has broken multiple records and he's likely not stopping anytime soon.