“Here she comes, Paige Kardashian”: When Geno Auriemma revealed why he had a special nickname for Paige Bueckers
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma jokingly shared a special nickname that he has in store for Huskies star guard Paige Bueckers.
Back in October, Auriemma addressed the media, comparing the guard to Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift, celebrities known for their busy schedules. As per Connor Wilson, Auriemma said:
"I vary from calling her Paige Swift or Paige Kardashian because she’s everywhere, but people don’t see the work she’s put in."
The nickname has been long established by Auriemma. As early as 2020, Bueckers first shared that despite the Huskies coach calling her his idol, he gave her the funny alias.
"He calls me Paige Kardashian all the time. I just laugh. He's a funny guy."
Back in 2022, the Hall-of-Fame coach appeared alongside "What Drives Winning" author Brett Ledbetter in a one-hour special titled "Challenges in Modern Athletics."
Auriemma had a lengthy response about the current generation of athletes who start getting addicted to the attention but not to the fun of the sport they play.
"Yeah, the kid on my team has 800,000 Instagram followers. She was the best player in the country this year as a freshman," said Auriemma. "She's always been compared to our former players or other players and she finally got off that stuff because no matter how good she was, it wasn't good enough."
Auriemma also quipped a funny tidbit about his relationship with the superstar.
"When she first showed up in October, I said, 'Hey, here she comes, Paige Kardashian.' You're famous for being famous but you haven't done sh*t. You haven't scored one basket for UConn and you're the most famous player in UConn history, according to everybody else out there."
Paige Bueckers and Geno Auriemma aim for the National Championship in their final year together
Now in their final year of partnership, redshirt senior Paige Bueckers aims to finish her UConn career on a high note by winning the NCAA Championship under Geno Auriemma's guidance.
From 2020 to 2024, UConn has finished with one Sweet Sixteen, two Final Fours, and a National Championship appearance.
Bueckers had a dynamic campaign last season, putting up numbers in all statistical categories. She produced 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.4 blocks in 39 games.
She has shown no signs of slowing down this season, dropping 13 points, four rebounds, seven assists and five steals in the 86-32 opener against Boston University and 22 points in the subsequent 86-49 win against South Florida.
With the Huskies' hot start to the 2024-2025 campaign, Bueckers and Auriemma are hopeful that the season ends with UConn hoisting the trophy.