“There’s some unbelievable satisfaction you get watching someone come in as a freshman and then looking at them three or four years later,” Geno Auriemma shared about Paige Bueckers. For Geno, Bueckers was just another player coming out of Minnesota girls’ high school basketball back in 2019. But as she progressed with the Huskies, she became much more than that. With an incredible average of 21.9 points per game, her upward trajectory marked her as one of the best players on the roster. However, handling a phenom like her can be challenging too.

During his appearance on NBC Sports Big East Program, Auriemma shared his thoughts on the Huskies’ remarkable roster ahead of the new college season. When asked about his bond with Bueckers, he dropped a surprising revelation about the challenges of coaching her. As someone who has been coaching her from the beginning, he’s “incredibly grateful” for her personal success on the court.

But, “that’s followed up by, she’ll do something that I wish I had left yesterday. So I get the ups and downs every day with her, and it’s the greatest feeling ever,” shared the Huskies’ head coach. Well, this isn’t the first time Auriemma has playfully trolled Bueckers.

“Coach always makes sure to humble me by reminding me that he’s making more money than I am. I’m like, ‘You’re old, man, I know you’ve got more money than me,‘” Bueckers hilariously shared during an episode of A Touch More a few weeks ago. Indeed, the 11x NCAA Division I Tournament champion is among the highest-paid coaches.

His recent contract extension through 2028-29 promises him a staggering $18.7 million in base pay, allowing him to rake in a whopping $3.34 million annually. But coming back to his recent comments, he’ll be hoping Bueckers has no injury hurdles to go over in her last year.

Even Paige Bueckers’ junior year wasn’t free of injuries

Despite starting strong with an average of 20 points per game while shooting 46.8% from three, Bueckers’ sophomore year was delayed by a major obstacle—injuries. First, it was an ankle injury, and then she sustained a tibial plateau fracture and lateral meniscus tear. As a result, Geno was only able to add her to the lineup 17 times that season.

While preparing for a strong comeback, she was sidelined once again with another injury—this time, a torn ACL in her left knee, which occurred during a friendly game in the 2022 offseason. But with Geno’s unwavering support, she made yet another comeback. With an impressive average of 21.9 points while shooting 53%, Bueckers was as dominant as ever.

“At the time, the fact that you’re constantly in that mode and they’re helping you stay current, engaged, and motivated because you want them to succeed,” added Geno. Since then, she has been delivering outstanding performances, thanks to Auriemma, one of the most respected coaches that everyone wants to play for. One such player is KK Arnold who’s blessed to witness his last coaching year.

Auriemma will soon retire, but before bidding farewell, he has one last task: leading Bueckers and the Huskies to a championship title run before their star heads to the WNBA. But the question here is: Will it happen? Fingers crossed that the injury bug doesn’t bite Bueckers or any other Husky again.