UConn Huskies coach Geno Auriemma recently revealed that he tried to recruit Angel Reese in 2020. According to Sports Steady Live’s X handle, Auriemma said he proactively tried recruiting the 2023 NCAA champion to his program and even visited her while she was still in high school.
On Sunday, July 6, Auriemma said he tried extremely hard to sign Reese, who later finished her high school hoops career as the No. 2-ranked prospect among all five-star recruits in the class of 2020. Eventually, the 71-year-old went with Paige Bueckers out of Hopkins, Minnesota, while Reese committed to coach Brenda Frese’s Maryland Terrapins.
“I wanted Reese to play for me. I made the trip to the projects to get her. I knew she would be great but she wanted to be closer to home,” Auriemma was quoted as saying.
Geno Auriemma reveals he tried to recruit Angel Reese: “I went to the projects to get her” pic.twitter.com/xNqyMMi9DC
— Sports Steady Live (@SportSteadyLive) July 6, 2025
Reese played for two years with the Terrapins before moving to coach Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers in 2022. The now-Chicago Sky sophomore’s best year came in 2023 when she and the Tigers beat Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes by 17 points, 102-85, in the NCAA title game. LSU won its first national championship while Reese was declared the Most Outstanding Player (MOP). She was then drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
When Angel Reese Responded To Old Photo Of Her And Geno Auriemma Wearing UConn Huskies Sweatshirt
In November 2024, a photo of coach Geno Auriemma and Angel Reese wearing a UConn Huskies sweatshirt went viral, especially with X users.
This forced Reese to respond, as she reposted a now-deleted X post featuring her picture with the UConn Huskies head coach. Nevertheless, the photo was taken when she was at Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland.
“Let’s put this picture back WHEREVER y’all found it,” Reese posted with several emojis,” Reese wrote.
let’s put this picture back WHEREVER yall found it 😭😭🤣🤦🏽♀️ https://t.co/Ej3HQJPuKH
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) November 11, 2024
Auriemma is coming off a memorable 2024-25 season in which he won his 12th national championship with Paige Bueckers and the rest of the UConn Huskies. They defeated coach Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks in the 2025 national title game by 23 points, 82-59.
Reese is currently in her sophomore year in the WNBA with head coach Tyler Marsh’s Chicago Sky and was recently named a 2025 All-Star reserve.
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