UConn head coach Geno Auriemma has strongly defended Breanna Stewart’s postseason dominance amid her search for a WNBA championship with the New York Liberty, explicitly telling reporters: “Don’t bet on anybody else other than her.”
Auriemma, 72, was speaking at Thursday’s Big East Media Day as the Huskies prepare for their return to the college basketball landscape for 2026-27, in what will be his 42nd season in charge of the program, shortly after he shut down the WNBA trans debate.
Four of those seasons were spent coaching Stewart, with the pair going on to achieve remarkable success between 2012 and 2016, putting together a 151-5 record that included four consecutive NCAA National Championships and two undefeated seasons.
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Since being drafted by the Seattle Storm in 2016 and eventually joining the Liberty in 2023, Stewart has achieved unparalleled success in the WNBA, becoming one of the most accomplished and decorated players in league history.
Three WNBA championships, three WNBA Commissioner’s Cups, two WNBA Finals MVP awards, and two WNBA regular-season MVPs are just some of the achievements on Stewart’s CV, while there are also several national honors, too.
In fact, the 32-year-old is currently on one of the most impressive winning streaks in basketball history, capturing an Unrivaled championship in March, a EuroLeague championship in April, the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup in June, and the FIBA Women’s World Cup title in September to mark a truly remarkable year.
Stewart (L) won numerous championships under Auriemma at the University of Connecticut between 2012 and 2016 -Credit:Getty
Now, Stewart is hoping to add another WNBA championship to her 2026 list later this month, and despite facing considerable skepticism and criticism in recent times, Auriemma has provided a timely reminder of her career to anyone brave enough to doubt her in the WNBA Playoffs.
“Don’t bet on anybody else other than her,” Auriemma said Thursday at Big East Media Day. “It’s been like that since she was 15 years old when I first saw her play.”
In the current campaign, Stewart’s individual numbers have remained among the absolute best in the world, with the Liberty star averaging 20.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game across 42 regular-season games:
Despite this, New York’s slide to the 8th seed in the Playoffs has raised doubts about both the team’s and Stewart’s chances of postseason success, though Auriemma could only laugh at such notions.
“When you do look at her career, you look back and you realize there’s a regular-season Breanna Stewart and then there’s a postseason Breanna Stewart,” Auriemma said.
“And Breanna Stewart probably plays in the playoffs as good as anybody I’ve ever seen.”
“So when they got the eighth seed, I thought, ‘I don’t think that’s right,'” Auriemma added. “All her success has prepared her for what she’s doing now. And you saw it at the Olympics when everybody started questioning, ‘Well, maybe this is the year France is going to get them. Blah, blah, blah.’
“And I thought to myself, ‘You can’t question that kid during the playoffs when there’s a medal, or there’s a trophy that goes to the winner.'”