Geno Auriemma's UConn women's basketball program won its 12th national title in his 40th season as head coach of the Huskies, and during an interview on Monday with Dan Patrick, he talked about the retention of players in the women's game as opposed to the men's side, which deals with one-and-done players.
“If this was like men's basketball, there's no way I'd have close to 12 national championships,” Geno Auriemma said, via the Dan Patrick Show. “Diana would've been one and done. Stewie would've been one and done. Maya Moore would've been one and done. I can go on and on. Paige Bueckers would've been one and done. All of these guys. So the fact that it goes back to the old days, like the way it used to be. We get them young and we work with them. It does create a bond that I think is missing in men's college basketball. Football is a little bit better because those guys have to stay for about three years.”
Auriemma is right, but UConn women's basketball does have to deal with the transfer portal, like the men's side does. His explanation for how he deals with the portal is a simple one, and he says that he does not stress about it.
“Now the portal has come, I'm here as long as I can get what I want or else I'm out,” Auriemma said. “So the coaches feel like if this guy is going to walk out on me any day now why should I invest all of myself in him or her. I'm just going to coach you, get what I need to get out of you, and if you leave you leave and if you stay you stay, that's fine.”
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Regarding NIL, Auriemma said he feels bad for the coaches on the men's side of the game, and that he is thankful for the resources he has to run a competitive program at UConn.
“This nonsense about well they're not employees, yeah they are employees,” Auriemma said. “We're paying them to play basketball for us. When they don't like their job they quit and go work some place else. I'm lucky I've got a great situation and I know a lot of guys on the men's side that envy it and I feel bad for those guys.”
Auriemma and UConn will celebrate their 12th title, with much of the team returning next season outside of Paige Bueckers, Aubrey Griffin and Kaitlyn Chen, who are graduating.
