Geno Auriemma Shares His Take on Unrivaled

UConn coach Geno Auriemma explained his investment in Unrivaled.

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

It's safe to call Geno Auriemma an authority when it comes to women's basketball. The legendary UConn coach does have 12 national championships during his tenure after all, and currently his Huskies look poised to repeat boasting an undefeated 24-0 record on the season.

Of course, to win that much a coach has to have had a lot of talent, and many of Auriemma's top players at Storrs have gone on to have storied careers in the pros. That includes the two co-founders of the 3-on-3 Unrivaled league, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.

The former Huskies turned WNBA stars launched Unrivaled in 2025 and unsurprisingly were able to secure Auriemma as an investor.

With Unrivaled in the midst of its second season, Auriemma was asked for his thoughts on the product following UConn's win over DePaul on Wednesday night.

"I don't know if I've seen a lot, but I've seen enough. It's different, right?" Auriemma stated. He then went on to explain why he chose to invest in Unrivaled.

"Somebody asked me one time about the names of all the teams and all this other stuff and I'm like, no, I don't know all that stuff. 'Well your investor, shouldn't you know all that'? No, I'm an investor in Apple and I don't sh*t about how they make phones and all that other stuff," he shared.

"I invested in Stewie and Napheesa as people because I believe in them. And then I watched to see what it looks like. And it looks amazing. The players compete, they play hard, and they're having fun."

How Has Unrivaled Fared in Second Season?

Mar 17, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Rose BC guard Chelsea Gray (12) dribbles the basket past Vinyl BC guard Rae Burrell (12) during the fourth quarter of the Unrivaled Championship game at Wayfair Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Unrivaled is fresh off a major showcase in Philadelphia, as the league set a new attendance record for a regular season professional women's basketball game, which served as a proof of concept for the Miami-based product to take the show on the road more often.

But while Unrivaled found success with its tour stop, it has struggled when it comes to television viewership, as the league has experienced a steep ratings drop from the numbers in its inaugural season. However, revenue and social media views have reportedly increased.

All that's to say, like with any league trying to gain its footing, Unrivaled is still a work in progress. But it clearly has a believer in Auriemma—even if he can't name the teams off the top of his head.