Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies are gearing up for a new season and have some fresh faces to introduce as well. Incoming transfers Serah Williams and Kayleigh Heckel are expected to shine in new threads playing college hoops.
However, there is one player who might end up taking a backseat to let these players shine. This is what analyst Mark Zanetto touched upon in the latest episode of the ‘The Hoops Cap‘ podcast.
Zanetto talked about Jana El Alfy’s next role in Geno Auriemma‘s squad, saying she would be comfortable adapting to a bench role and likely embrace it. He said (3:59):
” I think Jena is likely going to be the one that kind of, to me, she’s going to be like this year’s Ice Brady, because Ice took a kind of a backseat this year to Jena, to SErah and others, um, and even Morgan Shelley. And at some parts in the year, we’re trying to be more of a team player and realise that either they’re better than you or they’re just playing better than you at the time.”
Zanetto also stumbled upon the scenario of Jena El-Alfy being minutes restricted this season. But that doesn’t diminish the fact that she played a crucial role in the Huskies winning the national championship last season. For UConn to run it back again, perhaps it would be best for Jena El Alfy to take a backseat.
Zanetto highlighted how Geno Auriemma hasn’t seen Serah Williams in a ‘big spot’ yet. However, he trusts his players to make decisions to help his squad grow and develop. Perhaps, in a way, Auriemma ensures he builds champions in his Huskies, who go on to become legends in the WNBA in the future.
Also Read: When Geno Auriemma Used Tom Brady’s $40,000,000 Paycheck to Explain NIL’s Impact on Young Players
Geno Auriemma’s Possible Retirement Should Not Mirror Pat Summitt’s at Tennessee
In the same episode, Zanetto also spoke about what the future would hold for the UConn Huskies when Geno Auriemma retires. It has been a long time since Auriemma has been in the UConn coaching scene, and when he retires, a plan has to be chalked out.
However, following the same blueprint as how Tennessee dealt with the late Pat Summitt’s departure should not be the case for UConn. In this case, Zanetto talked about hiring outside UConn alum, unlike how Tennessee tried Holly Warlick and Kelly Harper.
“We saw this play out with Tennessee right? They hired Holly Warlick and then Kelly Harper. Those were two Tennessee alums with direct ties to Pat Summitt and there was always like an emotional weight to it that felt unfair,” Zanetto said (27:40).
Tennessee quickly rectified that by adding Kim Caldwell to the mix. Sometimes, it’s not necessary to hold on to a legacy, which might be similar to holding on to a certain kind of grief. Aiming for the same bar can be disappointing and heartbreaking, especially when there’s an emotional component involved. Hence, it becomes difficult to fire that person.
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