The UConn Huskies’ fans were overtaken with joy when their star Paige Bueckers announced her decision to not declare for the 2024 W draft. With the NCAA 2024-25 season approaching, all efforts remain set to fulfill the dream in one final opportunity for Bueckers. However, Geno Auriemma opines that the team has its lacking that the stand-out could do without.

On Wednesday’s episode of SNY, Auriemma reflected on Bueckers and her determined spirit. But while he applauded the 23-year-old for her game, he felt that things would have set just perfectly, if there was one major change in their campaign.

He credits Bueckers for taking them to the Final Four last season despite injuries short-handing their squad, but the 11X NCAA Championship winning coach felt that “Paige is somebody that everybody’s going to want to watch. Unfortunately, I wish she was, you know, playing with a much older group. I wish she was playing with a more experienced group.”

Notably, two of the Huskies’ main stars, Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Muhl, departed this season. While Edwards was drafted as the sixth overall pick by the Washington Mystics, Muhl got in as the fourteenth overall pick by the Seattle Storm. Now Bueckers is left alone with Azzi Fudd being the other major player for the Huskies. Other than that, the Huskies mostly comprise of a young squad as Auriemma notes, talking to SNY. 

The other players who can find a place in the starting five include Jana El Alfy who missed last season due to injury, Sarah Strong, a freshman, and Caroline Ducharme, a redshirted junior. Moreover, Kaitlyn Chen, KK Arnold, and Ashlynn Shade will be suiting up for the Huskies for the first time as well. So the HC is concered but he hopes the talent can overpower the inexperience.

“So it’s really something that is gonna take some time. But the talent I think we have, we are much deeper, I think will hopefully offset the lack of experience. And Paige is gonna have to do a lot until that happens,” he had previously remarked while talking to NBC Sports on Wednesday.

Therefore, if Bueckers wants to win it, she will have to find the team’s chemistry early on in their season. However, an UConn podcaster believes there’s one more reason that can stop the Huskies from achieving their full potential.

Another reason that can stop Paige Bueckers

Mark Zanetto during an episode of the Locked On UConn reflected that the only time Bueckers got the responsibility of leading the pack was last season when she was supported in her pursuit by Muhl. However, when Muhl passed out, Zanetto expressed that Bueckers might find it difficult to share her mind without being condescending at times. According to him, it happens with people who are usually quieter, an adjective that is perfect to describe Bueckers.

“In past years UConn players like Nika Muhl handled that leadership and responsibility. But now Paige is really helping to fill that void. And we have to talk about the way she’s balancing this role while also being the team’s best player. I think that to me is the biggest hurdle of any player that is the most talented player on the team to then also show leadership in ways other than with performance or by actions,” Zanetto stated.

However, Zanetto concluded that Bueckers has the “ability to be both.” And hopefully, she will be able to do her best. Beuckers did admit she has had the most time this off season than she did any other to prepare. Playing with pace, shooting threes, and most importantly, building strength primary in her routine currently. But if the title is what she eyes, team chemistry is something the 2021 AP Player of the Year would look to get on the list.