Geno Auriemma’s 40-year-long career with UConn is one of sustained success. But as any sports legend will attest, winning isn’t simply about talent or numbers. For Auriemma, it’s about growth—and sometimes, the sting of regrets. Since taking the helm, he’s led UConn’s women’s basketball team to 11 national titles, tying UCLA’s men’s team for the most championships in college basketball history. But some losses, he admits, weigh heavier than others.

Reflecting the same in a recent interview with FOX61’s Sports Director Jonah Karp, Auriemma shared, “I thought we had the best team when we were in the bubble, but, you know, things happen, and we didn’t win. Maybe we were too immature at that point. I don’t know. But after that 2017 and 2018 season, there’s been circumstances that I’ve gone into any of those Final Fours thinking we had the best team because we’ve yet to go back and be healthy.”

Health issues plagued several of those recent seasons, with Paige Bueckers’ ACL tear last year being the latest setback in a string of injuries to former key players like Dorka Juhász. “After those first couple of years, we’ve always had issues one way or another,” he noted,  highlighting the uphill battle UConn has faced to sustain its elite status.

Despite repeated disappointments, Auriemma or his players haven’t waned in their hunger to return to championship form. His pursuit is relentless, he admits, calling it an “obsession.” The paradox of victory and defeat fuels him. “If you win, you’re going to be obsessed with getting the next one. If you lose, you’re going to be obsessed with getting back there, ” he noted in the interview.

Though the journey might hold a certain beauty, for Auriemma, it comes with immense personal cost. Winning, as he explains, may bring fleeting fame, but it quickly fades, leaving only the obsession to repeat the glory—or to prove it wasn’t just a fluke.

Pressure on Bueckers: Geno’s take

Nonetheless, Geno’s mindset is totally different when compared to Paige Bueckers, who is entering this season with a goal to establish her legacy. “I want to prove that I’m a winner at every level,” Bueckers shared in an interview with Mirin Fader while reflecting on why she took a redshirt year to stay and play for the Huskies this season.

In fact, Coach Auriemma is also acutely aware of what’s at stake for Bueckers from a legacy standpoint. “If, for whatever reason, we don’t win a national championship this year, she’ll feel like, ‘I’m the best player to ever play at Connecticut that didn’t win a national championship,‘” he admitted to Fader.

Feb 25, 2022; Hartford, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma talks with guard Paige Bueckers (5) from the sideline as they take on the St. John’s Red Storm in the second half at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

For Bueckers, getting drafted as WNBA’s No. 1 pick comes second when compared to establishing her legacy at every level of the game. Hence, the 6’0″ guard has already crafted an impressive career by becoming the National Player of the Year as a true freshman and returning from a torn ACL to become a unanimous All-American for the second time last year while helping UConn reach the Final Four in all three seasons she played in.

She aims to join the ranks of UConn’s Star alumni like Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, and Maya Moore by defining UConn women’s basketball. As Bueckers seeks to etch her name alongside those greats, the pressure of achieving a championship looms larger than ever.