The age-old proverb “old is gold” still holds true for the WNBA. The league is celebrating its 30th anniversary and what better way to honor this journey than bringing in the man who called the games in the very first season.

The winningest coach in college basketball, Geno Auriemma, is going to be back in the booth to call the anticipated matchup between the Dallas Wings and the New York Liberty. The match will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on July 7.

Geno Auriemma called the first-ever WNBA game broadcast on ESPN. It was also a game featuring the New York Liberty. The matchup featured the now Hall of Famer like Lisa Leslie, with the game ended in a victory for the Liberty against the Los Angeles Sparks. Geno Auriemma called the match with Robin Roberts.

And Auriemma was also part of the second career match of none other than Diana Taurasi. On May 22, 2004, Geno Auriemma called the match between the Connecticut Sun and the Phoenix Mercury at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Taurasi finished the match with 26 points, five rebounds, and four assists in Mercury’s win.

Geno Auriemma has previously shared good chemistry with Roberts. The duo called the first few seasons of the WNBA. So this will be a reunion of the pair who were there at the start of it all. Both have achieved remarkable success in their careers since then.

Robin Roberts was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. She was given the honors after having a storied collegiate career at Southeastern Louisiana University. And obviously, her longtime success covering women’s basketball. And Geno Auriemma needs no introduction. The long-time coach has amassed a staggering 12 NCAA Division 1 titles, racking up 1288 wins along the way. His 0.886 winning percentage is the highest in the history of college basketball.

Auriemma reunites with former alums in Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd

The matchup on July 7 will see two of Auriemma’s most recent UConn alums feature side by side on the same team. This would make the matchup showcase three of Geno Auriemma’s pupils in Breanna Stewart, Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd.

While Stewart has won the MVP two times, she is on the way to another MVP-level season. The three-time WNBA champion has never stepped off the gas pedal and is averaging 19.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game this season. She leads the Liberty’s team charge in securing another WNBA trophy after 2024.

Bueckers is also putting up impressive numbers and is leading the Wings team in scoring with 8.7 points and 6.0 assists per game. Fudd leads the Wings team in blocks and steals, averaging 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.

This would be a very close matchup as both teams are very evenly poised. Their records are also very similar. Wings are 10-6, and Liberty are 11-5 for the season. It could be a very enthralling game.