The Huskies have done it again. UConn finished the regular season with a perfect 31-0, marking the program’s ninth unbeaten campaign. Now, Geno Auriemma and his team are gearing up to defend their title. But as preparations begin, Auriemma’s latest comments about the team even caught Paige Bueckers by surprise.

“I don’t know that you take away one of the top five players in the WNBA off your team and say you’re better. I don’t know how I can justify saying that,” Geno Auriemma said when asked if this year’s team is better than last year’s. “There are a lot of times when I watch us play, and I say, that wouldn’t have happened if we had Paige.”

The legendary coach once again brought up the absence of Paige Bueckers while discussing the makeup of this year’s squad. “I have a few more players that we can trust to put on the court. And that’s why I said I think we’re different. We have a different way of playing. We have different options. But none of those guys I bring off the bench are Paige.”

Hearing such praise from Geno Auriemma even caught Paige Bueckers off guard. The former UConn star admitted she was still getting used to hearing compliments from her former coach. “It’s super weird to hear him compliment me, because I didn’t really get that much when I was there,” she said. “So, it was very nice to hear him talk about me in that regard, and I love him dearly.”

For anyone who has followed the pair, you would know their relationship is not something you normally see between a coach and a player. It is extremely unique. Geno and Paige were always engaged in playful banter with each other, constantly going back and forth while also being hypercritical of one another.

Remember last season when Geno Auriemma delivered a brutal assessment of Paige Bueckers by calling her delusional? “There’s a delusional side of Paige that I love,” Auriemma said in an interview with GQ. He then explained exactly what he meant. “She has to know better, but she comes across as, ‘I have never missed a shot; if I do miss, it’s because something happened. I have never fouled anybody in my life; the refs are always wrong.’ So there’s always this back-and-forth between her and me, because I know what kids want.”

Paige has also spoken about how Auriemma was always quick to point out mistakes in her game. But she would often push back, finding excuses to prove she had not made any mistake at all. So you can understand why the Dallas Wings superstar was taken aback when she heard Auriemma praising her.

That said, the respect between them was always immense. It was clear during their emotional embrace after winning the national championship. Paige later revealed that she had even told Auriemma she hated him. But that is just how their relationship worked. The banter never really stopped.

But moving on to the Huskies for a moment, it would be unfair to call them a worse team than last season. Both Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd have grown leaps and bounds, while the addition of Serah Williams has strengthened their frontcourt. The depth on this roster is also remarkable. Last season’s starting center, Jana El Alfy, is now coming off the bench, which tells you everything you need to know about this roster.

The Huskies have been consistent throughout the season. In fact, they have won most of their games going away. So you can understand why many believe this team might actually be better than last year’s. Yes, they lost Paige Bueckers before the season, but UConn looks far more balanced thanks to its depth. And whether Auriemma agrees or not, they will once again be among the favorites to win the championship.

While Auriemma’s current squad chases another title, his former superstar is facing a battle of her own off the court, as the WNBA’s labor dispute threatens the upcoming season.

Paige Bueckers Voices Frustration Over WNBA CBA Negotiations

The league has set a March 10 deadline for the players’ union to reach a verbal agreement. If the two parties fail to do so, the WNBA could end up losing games. That is a scenario no player wants. But as things stand, it looks very unlikely that an agreement will be reached before the deadline.

The league submitted a fresh CBA proposal on Sunday night. It included a provision that would allow players on rookie-scale contracts to earn max-level salaries starting in Year 4 if they make All WNBA First or Second Team. While that would benefit players like Paige Bueckers, she remains frustrated by how slowly the negotiations are progressing.

“At this point, it’s not really a negotiation anymore,” Bueckers said. “Like, both sides aren’t moving. So I feel like we need to continue to have these conversations, continue to actually have change implemented for us to move on our stance. We, as players, don’t want to strike. We want to have a season. I love playing basketball. That’s all I want to do. But again, some things need to be handled, and we want to do it as professionals.”

The league’s current offer only marginally increases the salary cap and still does not improve on its previous revenue-sharing margin. Unless both parties find common ground soon, it’s unlikely the two sides will agree to a deal before the deadline. Do you? Let us know in the comments down below!