Geno Auriemma undoubtedly couldn’t begin to count the special moments he’s had or recall all the memories he’s made over 40 seasons – and 12 national championships – as the head women’s basketball coach at UConn.
On Saturday, he’ll add two more memories as two of the greats of his program enter the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He will be on hand as a co-presenter for both Sue Bird and Maya Moore as they enter the hallowed hall.
“You knew this day was coming,” Auriemma said, per CTInsider.com. “You didn’t know it was coming simultaneously. Two different generations of UConn players going in simultaneously. We’ve been so fortunate. A lot of schools would be ecstatic to have one member of their program in the Hall of Fame, much less two at one time and four overall.
“It’s just incredibly rewarding to see it happen because these are not the kind of things you envision when you recruit a kid when they’re 17 years old. You don’t go home and say, ‘Hey, I just recruited a future Hall of Famer.’”
Bird and Moore join Swin Cash (1998-2002) and Rebecca Lobo (1991-95) in the Hall of Fame, and there won’t be a long wait for other former Huskies to join them.
Diana Taurasi (2000-04), who retired after 20 seasons in the WNBA following the 2024 campaign, is a sure-fire Hall of Famer when she’s eligible. And there currently are some WNBA players from UConn crafting Hall of Fame-worthy careers.
But for now, the attention is on Bird and Moore.
While the two didn’t play together at UConn, Bird and Moore were teammates on two U.S. Olympic teams that won the gold medal. Bird has five overall.
And Bird spoke Friday at pre-induction festivities about her respect for Moore.
“The thing about Maya that always stood out is you could talk about her scoring, you could talk about the way she played the game, it felt like Maya – I think within the world of elite athletes there's like another level within that, like the one percenters then there's like the half percenters that meet every moment – Maya met virtually every moment. Every big game Maya showed up.
“I mean by the time she gets to the WNBA as a rookie she's already winning championships. USA Basketball … on a team that you could argue that (included) some of the greatest of all time, like Mount Rushmore types, but Maya just came and met the moment, and I think that just speaks to her consistency. How she played the game … preparation things you don't see. She was just always ready and willing to meet that moment.”
They will enter the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., along with fellow WNBA legend Sylvia Fowles, retired NBA stars Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, coach Billy Donovan, retired referee Danny Crawford and Miami Heat owner Micky Arison as the Class of 2025.
Here’s a closer look at the achievements of Bird and Moore as they enter the Hall of Fame.
The Sue Bird File
Bird starred at UConn from 1998-2002 and had career averages of 11.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists over 118 games. She won two NCAA championships.
A 5-foot-9 point guard, she was a first-team All-American and the national Player of the Year in 2002.
Now 44, Bird won Olympic gold medals with Team USA in the five Games from 2004 to 2020. She played 19 seasons with the Seattle Storm, who made her the first pick of the 2002 draft.
Her WNBA highlights:
· 4 league championships
· 13-time All-Star
· 8-time All-WNBA selection
· All-time WNBA assists leader
· 3-time Sportsmanship Award winner
The Maya Moore File
Moore, now 36, played at UConn from 2007-11 and had career averages of 19.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists over 154 games. She won two NCAA titles, was twice selected the national Player of the Year and was a four-time All-American.
The Minnesota Lynx made her the No. 1 pick of the 2011 WNBA Draft. A 6-foot forward, she played eight seasons in Minnesota before transitioning her career to social justice advocacy.
She won Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016.
Her WNBA highlights:
· 4 league championships
· 2011 Rookie of the Year
· 2013 Finals MVP
· 2014 league MVP
· 6-time All-Star
· 7-time All-WNBA selection