Geno Auriemma is one of the greatest coaches the sport of basketball has ever seen. Auriemma has been at UConn since he was 31 years old. He recently celebrated 40 glorious years with the Huskies.
Auriemma has been the brains behind UConn’s basketball program, be it women’s or men’s. There might not be more influential figures in basketball than Auriemma. So, when there are conversations around his retirement, the mood is always of uncertainty, cluelessness and questions around UConn’s future.
In a recent podcast episode of Big East Network, basketball analysts Mark Zanetto and Tee Baker discussed the possibilities around Geno Auriemma’s retirement.
Mark mentioned how UConn should pick someone “outside the family” so expectations do not linger around the comparison with how Auriemma would do things. Baker replied with a sound comparison with another college basketball legend and Auriemma’s rival for the ages.
“We saw this play out with Tennessee, right?” Baker said. “They hired Holly Warlick and then Kelly Harper. Those were two Tennessee alum with direct ties to Pat Summitt and there was always like an emotional weight to it that felt unfair.” (27:40)
He continued:
“When they brought in Kim Caldwell, outsider, there’s a new energy now. We can put that where it was. We don’t have to kind of hold on to this (legacy) ’cause when you’re holding on to that legacy, you’re also holding on to like the grief of what was, you know, like it’ll never be that again. Aiming for that same bar is always going to be disappointing and heartbreaking, especially when it’s someone in the family who there’s like an emotional component. It’s harder to fire that person, frankly.”
The duo discussed how UConn should avoid making the same mistake Tennessee made after Pat Summitt’s departure. After years, Kim Caldwell’s Tennessee seems like a different team. And in case of Geno Auriemma’s retirement, that’s the approach they should take.
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Geno Auriemma and Pat Summitt’s iconic rivalry
Geno Auriemma and Pat Summitt shared a special relationship. They gave the world of basketball some of the most iconic battles. Both coaches were neck-to-neck against each other and never shied away from competition. They both were known for their fierceness and passion for basketball.
Auriemma’s and Summitt’s teams met each other 27 times. UConn had the advantage over Tennessee with 17 wins.
Even though their rivalry was fierce, one thing that was never lost between them was mutual respect. When Pat Summitt died, Geno Auriemma’s emotional response was a clear indication of how the news had affected him.
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