Geno Auriemma thinks Diana Taurasi could become like Pat Riley after WNBA retirement

Geno Auriemma envisions Diana Taurasi having a future in basketball after the Phoenix Mercury star announced her WNBA retirement. The UConn coach discussed her former player possibly becoming like Miami Heat president Pat Riley during Wednesday’s news conference ahead of the Huskies’ clash with the Creighton Bluejays.

Auriemma revealed to the media that he had a chat with Taurasi about her becoming a coach for Team USA someday. He thought the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics would be a perfect time for Taurasi to try that role, given that she grew up in L.A. A reporter later recommended Taurasi as a talent evaluator, prompting an interesting response from Auriemma.

“No, she’s a horrible talent evaluator because she thinks the best of everybody,” Auriemma said (Timestamp 3:37).

Geno Auriemma recalled having Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird pick their teams via draft during one of their training camps in Las Vegas. The UConn coach said all Taurasi did during the game was complain about the coaching after the team she formed as its general manager got beat badly.

“So, a talent evaluator?” Auriemma asked (Timestamp 4:14). “I think being on TV and talking about what the game should look like or owning a team and deciding this is how the game is supposed to look, like a Pat Riley kind of thing.”

“She’s just that smart and she’s that respected and you know, that committed to winning.”

Geno Auriemma and Diana Taurasi’s winning legacy at UConn

Geno Auriemma and Diana Taurasi helped the UConn Huskies become a dominant force in the early 2000s, amassing an impressive 139-8 record during her four-year stint in Storrs.

They led UConn to three straight national championships from 2002 to 2004, the first time the Huskies recorded a three-peat in their program history. Taurasi captured her first-ever NCAA title in 2002, scoring 13 points in UConn’s 82-70 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the championship game.

Taurasi reached even greater heights the following season, winning the Naismith College Player of the Year award. She led the team in scoring, rebounding and assists, averaging 17.9 points, 6.1 boards and 4.4 dimes per game. Taurasi saved the best for last in the 2003 national championship game, scoring 28 points and grabbing four rebounds in UConn’s 73-68 win over Tennessee.

Taurasi claimed another title in her final season under Auriemma, scoring 17 points in the Huskies’ 70-61 victory over the Lady Vols in the final.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash