Geno Auriemma’s ‘Sucker’ Remark About UConn Star Brings Paige Bueckers to Mind

Geno Auriemma made UConn Huskies fans recall Paige Bueckers after his sentiment about another star player on January 3.

Dec 20, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma and assistant coach Tonya Cardoza yell during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn Images | Pamela Smith-Imagn Images

Shortly after the UConn Huskies lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four of the 2024 NCAA women's basketball tournament, Geno Auriemma didn't mince words about what star guard Paige Bueckers (who scored 17 points on 7 of 17 shooting from the field) had to learn from the defeat.

"This is a great learning experience for Paige. Paige is a patient person who waits, and I think she is going to learn, or has begun to learn, that there is no waiting at this time of the year. It's you make it happen yourself. And you have to be more selfish. I know she wants to be the greatest teammate of all time, but I think those days are over and she needs to assert herself more," Auriemma said of Bueckers after the game, per an article from ESPN's Alexa Philippou.

Auriemma said similar things throughout UConn's final season, claiming that Bueckers needs to be selfish with the ball and get her shots up because she is the team's best player. And Bueckers obliged, which is a huge reason why UConn won the 2025 NCAA national championship.

Jan 22, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) is recognized with head coach Geno Auriemma for her 2000 career points before the start of the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Geno Auriemma's Sarah Strong Sentiment Reminds UConn Fans of Paige Bueckers

Auriemma's Huskies squad continued their winning ways with a dominant 84-48 win over Seton Hall on January 3. However, star sophomore Sarah Strong only took 11 shots during the game, which is slightly down from her average of 12.4 field goal attempts per game this season.

Auriemma spoke with the media after the game and was asked whether he wants to see Strong taking more shots on the perimeter.

"Yeah. I was thinking about that," Auriemma said before noting that Strong has been more aggressive in taking shots in recent games, per an X post from UConn on SNY.

"She's just got to get rid of that, 'If I miss, I'm hurting my team.' Which is, no, if you pass it, you're hurting our team the last three games. Sucker!" Auriemma continued.

Geno Auriemma talks about Sarah Strong taking more open looks on the perimeter:

"She's just got to get rid of that, 'if I miss, I'm hurting my team.' No, if you pass it, you're hurting our team the last three games... sucker" 😭 pic.twitter.com/juhmUYGLo9

— UConn on SNY (@SNYUConn) January 3, 2026

Most of the comments and replies to these comments from Auriemma are fans who are getting flashbacks about how Auriemma used to speak about Bueckers being more selfish, like he did after that 2024 game against Iowa.

Yet, like Bueckers, this is surely something that Strong will have to grow into as she continues to develop. It certainly hasn't stopped her from getting buckets or UConn from blowing out essentially every team they've faced so far this season.