UConn W Basketball

UConn star Paige Bueckers reiterated that winning a title is the bar for the 2024-25 women's basketball season.

Bueckers told SNY's Chelsea Sherrod that her mindset is "definitely national championship or bust."

In a profile by The Ringer's Mirin Fader, the senior guard said the pursuit of her first title helped fuel her decision to return to the Huskies for another season.

It's unfair to some degree to compare Bueckers to past Huskies legends. There's far more parity in the sport compared to when Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart and Tina Charles walked the halls of Gampel Pavilion.

But UConn head coach Geno Auriemma knows what's at stake for Bueckers this year.

"If, for whatever reason, we don't win a national championship this year, she'll feel like, 'I'm the best player to ever play at Connecticut that didn't win a national championship,'" he said to Fader.

The Huskies have a squad good enough to go all the way, which is illustrated by their No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press' preseason Top 25.

After missing a full season due to a torn ACL, Bueckers showed in 2023-24 that she remains an elite talent. She averaged 22.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.2 steals, earning unanimous first-team All-American honors for the second time.

To complement Bueckers, Auriemma signed three of the top 11 recruits (Sarah Strong, Allie Ziebell and Morgan Cheli) in espnW's Top 100 ranking. Azzi Fudd, Aubrey Griffin and Caroline Ducharme are all back, though they'll miss the start of the season.

Unless UConn totally bottoms out, falling short of a title shouldn't be classified as a failure for the Huskies, despite the expectations they've set for themselves every year thanks to their past success.

Still, it will feel like something is missing from Bueckers' college career if she leaves Storrs without a national championship.

The desire to win a national championship is fueling Paige Bueckers' final season at UConn.

"I want to prove that I'm a winner at every level," she told The Ringer's Mirin Fader.

Fader explained how the remark came as Bueckers was at the Huskies' team facility, which is adorned with photos of legendary players from the program's history and reminders of past success.

The 6'0" guard has already put together an impressive career. She was the national player of the year as a true freshman. She returned from a torn ACL to become a unanimous All-American for the second time last year. And UConn has reached the Final Four in all three seasons in which she was healthy.

Head coach Geno Auriemma knows what's at stake from a legacy standpoint, though.

"If, for whatever reason, we don't win a national championship this year, she'll feel like, 'I'm the best player to ever play at Connecticut that didn't win a national championship,'" he said to Fader.

Breanna Stewart was not just a four-time champion but a four-time NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player winner. Diana Taurasi won three titles. Sue Bird, Tina Charles and Maya Moore claimed two titles apiece. Rebecca Lobo, Nykesha Sales, Jennifer Rizzotti and Kara Wolters were on the 1994-95 team that lifted a title and signaled the start of UConn's dynasty.

The women's basketball landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years, even just in the time since Stewart graduated in 2016. The talent is becoming more dispersed and Auriemma can no longer count on having the kind of star-studded rosters that were a regular sight in Storrs.

Just as UCLA couldn't be the kings of the men's game forever, the rest of the field was going to chase down the Huskies sooner or later. Because of that, it would be a little unfair to hold Bueckers up against the standards of previous generations of UConn royalty.

Should she fail to win a national title, however, it will be a notable omission from an otherwise spotless résumé.

UConn Police arrested a man Friday who is now facing charges of stalking and harassing star basketball player Paige Bueckers after appearing in Connecticut Superior Court on Monday.

ESPN's Katie Barnes reported Robert Cole Parmalee was charged with breach of peace, electronic stalking and harassment and was held on $100,000 bond. Judge Richard Rubino said Parmalee would face "intense pretrial supervision" and GPS monitoring if he did make bail.

What's more, Barnes reported protective and no-contact orders were issued for "PB" in court.

Connecticut State Police previously arrested Parmalee on Aug. 27 when he was found walking on a limited-access highway near Bradley International Airport outside Hartford, Connecticut.

He told police at that time he was going to see Bueckers, per UConn police.

"The arresting officer was notified by dispatch of an outstanding warrant for Parmalee's arrest in Oregon," Barnes wrote. "Parmalee was arrested and facing extradition to Oregon, but, according to a statement from UConn, Oregon planned to move to dismiss those charges. UConn PD served its arrest warrant on Friday at Hartford Correctional Center."

UConn Police said that officials within the school's communication department were made aware of Parmalee in June when he sent "rambling" emails to them saying he wanted to marry one of the women's basketball players and was a member of the royal family.

His social media posts included messages that said he was going to propose to Bueckers, a fake wedding invitation and some that UConn Police said were threatening to Bueckers and those close to her.

While Bueckers told police she never responded to the social media posts, police said she was worried about the safety of herself and others.

Parmalee is scheduled to reappear at Connecticut Superior Court on Oct. 22.

Connecticut star Paige Bueckers has signed a first-of-its-kind name, image and likeness deal with the new Unrivaled Basketball league.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Bueckers' deal makes her the first college athlete with ownership equity in a professional league.

The Huskies point guard will also play in the Unrivaled league, as well as the WNBA, after her college career ends.

Unrivaled is a three-on-three women's basketball league that will begin play in January 2025. It will feature 30 players on six teams in a three-on-three, compressed full-court style of play.

WNBA stars and former UConn teammates Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne in July 2023 they were founding a new league that would give players a domestic alternative to play during the WNBA offseason.

"It's the ability for players to stay home, to be in a market like Miami where we can just be the buzz and create that with the best WNBA players," Stewart told Shelburne. "We can't keep fighting [the WNBA's prioritization rule]. It is a rule that takes away our choices, which should never be a thing, especially as women, but it is still a rule."

In May, the league announced it received financial investments from various athletes and celebrities that includes former NBA MVP Steve Nash, former NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony, U.S. soccer legends Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe and actor Ashton Kutcher.

The announcement also noted Unrivaled would offer the "highest average salary in women's professional sports league history."

Charania noted the league cap for all 30 players will be at least $7.5 million—an average of $250,000. WNBA supermax contracts for the 2024 season are $241,984, per Her Hoop Stats.

Stewart, Collier, Chelsea Gray, Arike Ogunbowale, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Rhyne Howard, Kahleah Copper, Jackie Young and Angel Reese have already been confirmed to play in the league's debut season.

Bueckers announced in February she was using her fifth year of eligibility to return to Connecticut for the 2024-25 season. The two-time Big East Player of the Year has led the Huskies to the Final Four three times and an appearance in the 2022 national title game.

UConn star Paige Bueckers is receiving her own player-exclusive edition of the Nike G.T. Hustle 3, according to Sole Retriever.

The senior guard is the first college basketball player to receive the honor. The shoe will drop Sept. 12 and retail for $120, per Sole Retriever.

Bueckers signed an NIL deal with Nike ahead of the 2023-24 season. ESPN.com's Michael Voepel reported at the time the partnership could extend into her pro career as well.

The 2021 National Player of the Year is widely considered to be the clear No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft. After injuries interrupted her sophomore campaign and a torn ACL kept her out for all of 2022-23, she reaffirmed her status as an elite talent this past season.

In 38 games, Bueckers averaged 22.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists. She also shot 53.0 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from beyond the arc. UConn advanced to the Final Four, losing to Caitlin Clark and Iowa.

In the past, Nike received criticism for its perceived lack of investment in its women's basketball athletes. Many found it telling that Breanna Stewart, one of the WNBA's biggest stars, left the apparel giant for Puma in 2021 and immediately received a commitment for her own signature shoe.

Now, the sneaker landscape looks much different across the women's game. The New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu has a Nike signature shoe, while dedicated kicks are on the way for Clark and Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson.

With Bueckers getting a player-exclusive, it seems reasonable to conclude she could join that group at some point down the line.

UConn announced Tuesday that women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma signed a five-year extension.

"I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to continue to work alongside Geno Auriemma and his staff to add to what is already the gold standard for success," athletic director David Benedict said. "Coach Auriemma has dedicated over half of his life to UConn and our women's basketball program and will undoubtably be known as one of the greatest collegiate coaches of all time.

"His presence, dedication and loyalty to this university and state is priceless and will be critical as we enter the most transformational period in college athletics in the past 40 years."

The school confirmed the contract, which ties Auriemma to the program through the 2028-29 season, is worth $18.7 million total and includes a base salary of $400,000 annually.

The Huskies are coming off yet another Final Four appearance, their 23rd since Auriemma arrived in 1985. Star guard Paige Bueckers is back for one more year, and UConn signed three of the top 11 players (Sarah Strong, Allie Ziebell and Morgan Cheli) in HoopGurlz's recruiting rankings for 2024.

The future in Storrs continues to look bright.

Between his age (70) and the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics, though, some wondered how much longer Auriemma would stick around. Alabama's Nick Saban, Syracuse's Jim Boeheim and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski are among the coaching titans who have walked away within the last few years.

Auriemma has made it clear he hasn't exactly loved the sweeping changes that have altered the athletic landscape, either.

He told the Associated Press' Dan Gelston his job now provides "a different kind of fun."

"It's so different, man. It's so, so different looking at it from a 40-year perspective," he said. "Right now, the beauty of coaching is trying to make them have a similar experience that those other players had. When you see it actually happening, it's really, really rewarding. It just doesn't happen enough."

The Hall of Famer added he liked how Villanova's Jay Wright chose to step down with little fanfare in 2022 on the heels of the Wildcats' Final Four run.

The AP interview left one with the impression Auriemma was staring down his coaching mortality. Instead, he clearly plans on working for the foreseeable future.

ESPN is already looking ahead to the next season of its Full Court Press docuseries, according to Front Office Sports' Michael McCarthy.

McCarthy reported UConn guard Paige Bueckers is being targeted as a potential subject for the project. He also speculated that USC's JuJu Watkins and LSU's Flau'jae Johnson "could get the documentary treatment" on the basis of their sizable profiles.

Bueckers would be a natural candidate to help anchor a new season of Full Court Press.

The Huskies star is one of the biggest names in college basketball, and she hardly missed a beat in 2023-24 after recovering from a torn ACL. In 38 games, she averaged 22.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.2 steals.

Bueckers' final season will be ripe with narrative as UConn attempts to return to the top of women's basketball. Once the preeminent dynasty, the Huskies haven't won a national title since 2016 and watched as South Carolina overtook them as the premier program.

The future of legendary head coach Geno Auriemma would be lingering in the background as well. Were UConn to be crowned the NCAA champion next spring, the 70-year-old Auriemma could decide the time is right to walk away.

Landing Watkins would be another coup for the Full Court Press producers because she's poised to have the kind of college career that's going to be spoken about in reverential tones.

The Trojans guard finished second in scoring (27.1 points) behind Iowa's Caitlin Clark as a true freshman and helped USC reached its first Elite Eight since 1994.

The program has long been chasing the heights it reached with Cheryl Miller, Cynthia Cooper and Pamela McGee in the 1980s. USC went back to back as the national champs in 1983 and 1984.

With Watkins leading the way, the Trojans are becoming a major brand in women's basketball once again. On an individual level, Full Court Press would also be able to dive in and see how the dynamic playmaker is grappling with becoming a veritable rock star in Los Angeles.

Two of the biggest stars in women's college basketball will face off again in the 2024-25 season.

USC women's basketball announced Monday it will play a home-and-home series with UConn, meaning fans will get to see Huskies star Paige Bueckers and and Trojans star JuJu Watkins clash.

The first game of the series will take place on December 21, 2024, at UConn with the second game coming during the 2025-26 season in Los Angeles.

Fans got to see Bueckers and Watkins go head-to-head in April in the Elite 8 when the Huskies came out on top 80-73 to advance to the Final 4. The first game between the two didn't disappoint as Bueckers notched 28 points and 10 rebounds and Wakins picked up 29 points and 10 rebounds.

Last season, Bueckers averaged 21.9 points per game, leading UConn to a 33-6 record with a Final Four appearance. The Huskies couldn't get past Catilin Clark and Iowa and fell just short of reaching the national championship game.

Watkins, arguably the most electric freshman in college basketball a year ago, put up 27.1 points per game in her first season with the Trojans and is looking to continue her prolific scoring as a sophomore.

While the first game of the home-and-home series won't have as high of stakes as their April meeting, it will be a good litmus test before conference play starts.

It's safe to say UConn women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma would not be a fan of switching WNBA rules and allowing college players to leave after just one season like they can on the men's side.

"It depends whether you want the game to grow, or you want to kill it," Auriemma said Thursday during an interview on ESPN Radio's UnSportsmanLike (h/t Alexa Philippou of ESPN).

"If you want to kill it, then let the kids leave after freshman year. On the men's side, it's become transactional. Everybody's a free agent. Everybody's a mercenary. It's not the kids' fault. ... To me, what helped the women's game grow is the people in Iowa got to grow up with Caitlin Clark. The people of Connecticut got to grow up with all of my great players. There's something to be said for that."

Auriemma added that such a change could potentially "ruin the game."

While players can leave for the NBA just one year removed from high school on the men's side, women's players cannot enter the WNBA draft until they are within three months of graduating college or in the calendar year they turn 22.

Those rules were put in place as part of the WNBA and WNBPA's collective bargaining agreement that expires in 2027, although Philippou noted there is a mutual opt-out clause that could terminate the existing agreement following the 2025 campaign.

That opt-out clause must be exercised by Nov. 1 of this year, though, if it is going to be used.

"I don't know that our game can continue to move forward if all of a sudden our guys are gone," Auriemma said. "So I like the rule, and the players decided the rule. So if they change the rule, God bless 'em, but I think it'll ruin the game."

Auriemma is someone who benefits from the rule as the head coach of one of the sport's premier programs.

Players who come to UConn as freshmen will, in all likelihood, become better by their senior years with additional experience in the college game and familiarity with the system Auriemma runs. That will put the Huskies in a better position to compete for national championships with older and more experienced players.

Still, as Auriemma pointed out, there is something to be said about the women's game becoming more popular as fans watch and get to know the players across multiple seasons at their favorite school.

Players such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso and more helped drive record-setting television ratings this season after multiple years with the same programs, and that translated to millions of viewers for the WNBA draft when many of those familiar names were selected.

Name, image and likeness opportunities also allow those players to make money off their popularity in the college game, which eases the burden of not turning to the professional ranks from a financial side.

Yet there is also something to be said about the idea that players who are talented enough should get the chance to compete at the sport's highest level. Someone like USC's JuJu Watkins would surely be drafted after her freshman season but instead has to stay in the collegiate game for multiple years.

There is a debate to be had, but it is clear where Auriemma lands.