Mechelle Voepel on Geno's impact beyond UConn

[Plebe]

Auriemma's impact extends far beyond UConn

Getting to 1,000 victories says a lot about a coach's longevity, obviously. But understanding how vast Auriemma's footprint is in women's basketball puts that number in another kind of perspective. It's one thing to have so much success with what you're directly controlling. It's something more to see that spread as far as it has with Auriemma.

Consider this: Over the last 15 seasons of the WNBA, 11 of the championship teams had at least one former UConn player who played a pivotal role. The last time an Olympic team didn't have a UConn player was 1992. No college coach except the late Pat Summitt of Tennessee has had such a sustained influence on the U.S. national team and the pro game.​

 

[huskeynut]

Great article. Cheryl Reeve's insights into Geno and how he develops players is key to understanding the dynasty called UConn Women's Basketball.

And a side note, since we have a thread on Geno's successor - maybe it should be Reeves herself.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Ooops, sorry. Yes, I reposted. Yes, I think I did a better job, but it was an accident!

 

[eebmg]

Great article. Cheryl Reeve's insights into Geno and how he develops players is key to understanding the dynasty called UConn Women's Basketball.

And a side note, since we have a thread on Geno's successor - maybe it should be Reeves herself.

Reeves among all those I have heard comment on Geno seems to best understand and explain his approach to basketball. She would definitely be my choice as successor if it were possible.

Anywho, 3 quotes from the article that left the biggest impression


The Auriemma influence doesn't go away when the players leave UConn. Reeve said it's her experience -- and this definitely is the case with Moore -- that former Huskies want to be critiqued without any punches pulled. They respond well to that, even long after their college days.

"While in the moment they may not want to hear it, at the end of the day, it's what they want," Reeve said. "And when they don't have it, they feel like they're falling short. When they move on from UConn and Geno, those days of being pushed hard is what they crave."



"That's why [in the WNBA] we're glad to have a UConn player. Because you know when you get them, they're equipped to play," Reeve said.

Unfortunately, I am not sure that applies to every WNBA team. Some teams simply are incapable of running an offense in a way that encourages team play. Maybe Kia Nurse to the Lynx?



"To always have a chance at winning a championship for as long as he has, to do it over and over, is so impressive. Watching what he's doing is something we're getting to experience that's maybe a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Who knows when that will ever come along again."

 

[Bigboote]

I've often thought this is what really sums up his style and success:

Why has it worked? Reeve pointed out Auriemma's ability to teach players not so much how to run plays but how to play.

I remember being surprised during a Geno show a couple of years ago when he said they don't have set plays. He might draw something up for a particular in-bounds play, but they don't have a bunch of plays with names like 45 Blue.

This was epitomized last year with their defense. Everyone switches on every screen, even when it resulted in Saniya Chong guarding a 5 one-on-one. Every UConn player had to know how to guard every opponent at every position on the court. I remember a Wings game this past season in which somehow Saniya wound up on the low block guarding the other team's post. The post never got the ball. That's why WNBA coaches like getting UConn players, even unheralded ones.

 

[Geew1992]

Trader Bill made the same statement...UConn players being pro ready

 

[HoopsFan21]

I've often thought this is what really sums up his style and success:

Why has it worked? Reeve pointed out Auriemma's ability to teach players not so much how to run plays but how to play.

I remember being surprised during a Geno show a couple of years ago when he said they don't have set plays. He might draw something up for a particular in-bounds play, but they don't have a bunch of plays with names like 45 Blue.

This was epitomized last year with their defense. Everyone switches on every screen, even when it resulted in Saniya Chong guarding a 5 one-on-one. Every UConn player had to know how to guard every opponent at every position on the court. I remember a Wings game this past season in which somehow Saniya wound up on the low block guarding the other team's post. The post never got the ball. That's why WNBA coaches like getting UConn players, even unheralded ones.

I believe they do. We've gotten glimpses of it in some of the behind scenes coverage of the team. A couple years ago Geno was shown telling the team "let's go 5 blue" against Dayton. Or let's run "circle" until they figure out how to guard that.

 

[Bigboote]

I believe they do. We've gotten glimpses of it in some of the behind scenes coverage of the team. A couple years ago Geno was shown telling the team "let's go 5 blue" against Dayton. Or let's run "circle" until they figure out how to guard that.

I made a horrible verbal mistake there when I talked about "set plays". Geno distinguishes between sets, general patterns of movement, and plays, which are designed for a specific outcome. 5 blue may very well be a play, but I suspect "circle" is a set.

 

[HuskyNan]

I appreciated this comment in Voepel's excellent article:

There's an oft-repeated saying that the Huskies practice not until they get something right, but until they can't get it wrong. There's truth to that, but it might be misconstrued as meaning that UConn succeeds offensively because of highly choreographed, pinpoint-precise plays that must be run exactly the same each time.

On the contrary, UConn's precision is in the execution of concepts: how to make cuts, how to pass, how to find holes in defenses. Even though they understand well what they are doing, the Huskies are able to keep defenses guessing.

I think some UConn fans don't understand how difficult this is for young players to learn. As noted elsewhere, there is no set offensive play to run so freshmen - no matter how intelligent or talented - sometimes look lost on offense. High school and AAU is all about chucking the ball up the court and scoring on a fast break; Geno's system requires calculating which motion might produce the highest percentage shot AND the player has to try to figure out where her teammates are going to go AND doing it all quickly before the defense can prepare. It's a lot to learn.