Paige Bueckers, the five-star guard of the UConn Huskies, will soon be back on the court for the new season, and head coach Geno Auriemma definitely expects a lot from her. He has been pretty vocal about how Bueckers can impact the team. While the 23-year-old is already one of the best players in the country, there are still things she can work on. Auriemma set the record straight this time as she can’t fumble her last shot at NCAA glory.

The Huskies head coach simply wants her to embrace her full potential. In a pre-game interview ahead of UConn’s matchup against Fort Hays, Auriemma praised her playing style initially, saying, “She’s too unselfish in so many ways. She’d rather pass it than shoot it.” Although he understands that the hooper was exactly the same in her freshman year, things are a little different now. 

“We’re encouraging her to just be herself you know. I think sometimes kids come here to play and they want to blend in so badly that they kind of don’t stay true to who they are you know, and you have to you have to be who you are,” the 11x National Championship winning coach emphasized.

The HC very well knows she has a lot to offer but he told the media before the exhibition game that she may feel like ‘It’s not my turn yet, it’s not my time yet,’ which he doesn’t want. Indeed, it’s great to share the ball, but there are moments when she needs to seize the opportunity and take those shots herself.

It seems like Auriemma is walking a tightrope here, trying to encourage her to be aggressive so that they can end their 8-year championship drought. UConn’s assistant coach, Chris Dailey, echoed similar sentiments recently. “When you are open, and you have an open shot, that’s your shot, you take it,” she said, emphasizing that being too unselfish can actually put her teammates in tough situations.

Just think back to the 2022 NCAA Tournament, where she scored 14 points but only attempted four shots in the second half. That hesitation can really change the outcome of a game. So, the 23-year-old guard has to find a way to overcome this challenge, as per the coaching staff. Meanwhile, there’s also this growing belief that UConn shouldn’t put all its eggs in Paige’s basket. They’ve got a talented roster, and they don’t need to build the whole game around their five-star guard. 

Is UConn leaning too much on Paige Bueckers?

Journalist Emily Adams shared her views about this very issue a few days ago. She highlighted that while Bueckers must be aggressive, UConn shouldn’t solely rely on her to carry the team. “Everybody plays really well when Paige is on the floor,” Adams pointed out Auriemma’s statement. 

However, she highlighted that challenges may arise when she’s not. Adams noted that while the athlete’s presence has this magnetic pull on the game, the Huskies can’t afford to lose their spirit the moment she sits on the bench. Young players like Kaitlyn Chen and others need to lead as well. 

As the journalist puts it, “You need them to be able to run the floor for a quarter in a Big East game when they’re trying to rest Paige.” Despite all of this, it’s hard to deny that Bueckers is an invaluable asset. We hope she embraces her role as a leader while also giving her teammates the space to shine.