When you think of Coach Geno Auriemma and Paige Bueckers, you probably imagine the perfect mentor-mentee relationship. After all, the two have led UConn to the Final Four in 2021, and now the guard has returned strong after a tough recovery from injuries. But do you know when Huskies No. 5 first met Geno, she wasn’t exactly expecting to become his favorite player? She was scared of him.

Recently, she admitted that she was “timid and shy” during her recruitment. “I didn’t want to say the wrong thing and have him not recruit me anymore, so I was very tentative with what I was saying,” she shared. But, when she finally arrived on campus, she admitted that Auriemma was very welcoming.

But you could still feel the challenge in his approach. “When I stepped on campus, he was very welcoming, but also, you could feel the sense of the challenging and the support….there’s always an equal balance between that,” she said. 

However, she added during a conversation with the media before the FDU game that her first impression would be, “I was pretty scared of him.” Despite being intimidated by his reputation, she ultimately understood that Geno’s coaching style pushed her to become great.

Auriemma’s “tough love” persona is well-known. Over the years, he’s turned UConn into a women’s college basketball powerhouse. And his players absolutely love his approach. KK Arnold summed it up perfectly when she said, “He’s a tough-love type of coach, which I love about him. He’s goofy, making jokes, but when it’s time to get in the grind, he’s really in your stuff.”

Hence,  Auriemma may come across as intense, but that very intensity has propelled his players to greatness. Even Paige, in her fifth year with him, was initially scared. But with time, they formed a bond, and she often posts fun pictures with him. 

She mentioned that she loves playing for him, which was her ‘dream come true.’ “He doesn’t talk about himself too much, just a little bit,” she said as he tied the record for the most number of wins in NCAA. 

She added, “To be a part of this, it’s amazing. It means everything to play for UConn and play for him.” But that love comes with some serious expectations. 

Geno Auriemma raised demands for Paige in her fifth season

After sitting out for nearly two years due to a torn ACL and other injuries, Paige has had a chance to reassert herself as one of the best in the game. And her coach, being his perfectionist, has some very high expectations for his star player in her final season. 

“I certainly don’t want a repeat of last year’s Final Four game where Paige only had a normal game, and we came up short because we didn’t have enough from other people,” the 70-year-old said, referring to UConn’s loss in the Final Four last year. He went on to make it clear: “I still want her to try to get 30 whenever she can.”

This season is tremendous for Paige—it’s her final chance to make a statement after all her setbacks. With her ACL tear and tibial plateau fracture, she’s been through a lot, and now she’s gunning for the National Championship. So, Auriemma is pushing her harder than ever. 

In fact, he’s said that having a player with Paige’s potential can be a “double-edged sword.” Clearly, the Huskies HC knows exactly what Paige is capable of, and he wants to see her reach her full potential.