Geno Auriemma has coached more stars than the average head coach. During his long and successful 40-year tenure with the UConn Huskies, he’s established himself as a college basketball legend.
Auriemma has taken many legends of the game under his wing. Notably, that includes WNBA superstar Diana Taurasi, who once took the team on her shoulders.
Taurasi was forced to do all of the heavy lifting to keep her team afloat. That’s why Coach Auriemma put his players on blast, letting them know the kind of burden they were laying upon her teammate.
Geno Auriemma said Diana Taurasi’s teammates would get her kill
“She had to be the best point guard, best shooting guard, best shooter, best rebounder, best passer, and had to guard the other team’s best player every night. It just overwhelmed her after a certain point because we lost and there was nothing she can do about it,” Auriemma said. “I just want you to know, she’s having a breakdown carrying you guys. So, either you can make her load a little bit lighter, or you say, ‘I don’t care. We’re gonna let you kill yourself.'”
Phoenix Mercury legend Diana Taurasi
Of course, that kind of pressure also helped mold her and turned her into one of the greatest players of all time, even leading the Phoenix Mercury to three WNBA Championships.
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As for Coach Auriemma and the Huskies, they will look to add even more silverware to their program this season, marching strong as a perennial contender for the national championship.
