Speaking before the Final Four on Friday night, Auriemma spoke about his current team, as well as former standout Diana Taurasi.
Earlier this season, University of Connecticut women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma called his former point guard Sue Bird 'the greatest point guard that's ever lived.'
On Thursday night at the Final Four, Auriemma had praise for another one of his former players: Diana Taurasi.
With the Final Four being held in Phoenix, where Taurasi starred in the WNBA for the Phoenix Mercury, Auriemma was asked about how much it means to be playing in the city where she stood out:
"Yeah, I had dinner with 'D' last night. In typical D fashion, she's the story. We practiced at 'her' facility yesterday, her logo on the court. Right. They said it, and so I can, in my mind, the greatest basketball player to ever play college basketball and maybe the greatest WNBA player of all time. So to be here, I know it means a lot to her and I know it means a lot to our players. So yeah, you don't often get a chance to do that."
To say she's the greatest college basketball player ever is certainly the highest of compliments, but Auriemma might not be wrong...
Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) catches a pass during warm ups on Sept. 19, 2024 at Footprint Center in Phoenix. Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesThe Taurasi file
A four-year standout from 2000-04, Taurasi played in 144 career games for the Huskies, winning three national titles. She averaged 15.0 ppg for her career, including a career-high 17.9 per game as a junior. She shot 54.7 percent from the floor and 39.2 percent from three-point range, taking home a laundry list of awards.
She was a three-time All-American, a two-time Big East Player of the Year, a three-time All-Big East selection and the AP National Player of the Year in 2003-03. Twice she made the NCAA All-Tournament team.
And how about the WNBA?
A 20-year veteran of the Mercury, Taurasi averaged 18.8 ppg for her career. A three-time WNBA champion, she was also a 14-time All-WNBA selection, an 11-time All-Star, a five-time scoring champion and the 2009 league MVP.
And just for good measure?
One of the most decorated international players in the sports history, she won six gold medals at the Olympics while playing for Team USA, the most of any player ever. She went 44-0 in Olympic competition.
And per USA basketball, there's this note as well:
Is one of only 12 players to have earned a World Championship gold medal, Olympic gold medal, an NCAA title and WNBA championship. Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Tamika Catchings, Cynthia Cooper, Brittney Griner, Asjha Jones, Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, Sheryl Swoopes, A'ja Wilson and Kara Wolters round out the list.
SA Womens National Team guard Diana Taurasi (12) waves to the crown as she in introduced before the game against the UConn Huskies at XL Center. David Butler II-Imagn ImagesAnd as for UConn?
The top-seeded Huskies will play fellow No. 1 seed South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday night at 7 p.m. ET.
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