Apr 6, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma speaks to the media after the national championship of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Geno Auriemma Has Strong Reaction to Azzi Fudd's 'Taking' Paige Bueckers Comment

Originally posted on Women's Fastbreak on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated Sep 26, 2025 12:29 PM ET

UConn Huskies legendary basketball coach Geno Auriemma has turned dozens of college standouts into WNBA players and has been a key component in making several women's basketball legends during his four decades running the Huskies program.

The most recent of these is Paige Bueckers, who is fresh off winning the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year award after her stellar season with the Dallas Wings. And the next WNBA star Auriemma might have is Azzi Fudd, who is projected to be a top pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.

Of course, Fudd and Bueckers were pivotal to UConn capturing its first national championship in nearly a decade earlier this year, when they dominated the South Carolina Gamecocks in the 2025 NCAA championship game.

Since then, Fudd and Bueckers have confirmed that they're in a romantic relationship together. While there's no way of knowing whether Auriemma was aware of this when they were both still his players, it was interesting that these two standouts waited until Paige was in the WNBA before the hard launch.

Geno Auriemma Reacts to Azzi Fudd's 'I'll Take Paige' Comment

Auriemma was a guest on a September 26 episode of Fudd's Fudd Around and Find Out podcast. At one point, the two drafted a hypothetical starting five of former (and current) UConn players.

Auriemma's first pick was Diana Taurasi, then Fudd followed that up by taking Maya Moore. Auriemma praised that pick, then selected Sue Bird. Fudd then went with Breanna Stewart. Next up for Auriemma was Tina Charles, then Fudd went with Napheesa Collier.

For Auriemma's No. 4 pick, he went with Swin Cash. When it came time for Fudd to make her pick, she said, "I'm taking Paige."

"You're taking Paige?" a (jokingly) incredulous Auriemma responded. He then made a series of audible sounds that suggested he thinks Fudd made the wrong move by choosing her girlfriend, which made Fudd and her co-host, Ashanti Plummer, laugh out loud.

Auriemma then finalized his roster by selecting Tamika Williams-Jeter. Fudd put herself in the final spot of her own roster.

Auriemma's reaction to Fudd taking Bueckers is telling because it shows that, despite Bueckers no longer being one of his players, the highly sarcastic relationship they had when she was at UConn still stands.

Auriemma and Bueckers' constant bickering with and about each other was always hilarious for fans to hear. And while Fudd and Auriemma have a different dynamic, it's cool to see that they can still share a laugh together — even if it's at Bueckers' expense.

This article first appeared on Women's Fastbreak on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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