Geno Auriemma names 4 UConn players who were “toughest to coach” feat. Diana Taurasi

In his 40-year career with the UConn Huskies, Geno Auriemma has coached some of the most legendary and most skilled women's basketball players. Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart and Maya Moore are a few examples of players in this elite club.

During an interview with "Got Next with Meghan and Zora" on Tuesday, Auriemma was asked to name the players who were the toughest to coach, and the list included some of his most famous ones.

"The kids who have been the toughest mentally, toughest physically, hard-nosed, a lot of them that I've had are also hard to coach because they're stubborn," coach Auriemma said (7:57). "They're hard-headed, they're competitive, they're tough and they think that they're right all the time."

He highlighted four players who stood out for their competitive nature.

"They think all they have to do is beat it. So you know, Jennifer Rizzotti, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Jamelle Elliott, Kelly Farris — these guys ... some of them were icons and some are just guys that you knew we can't win without."

Geno Auriemma also added that of the famous players, Jennifer Rizzotti, Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore were the toughest, as they entered his team with an intense desire to succeed.

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Geno Auriemma looks back at his four-decade career at Storrs

The 2024-25 season marked Geno Auriemma's 40th with the Huskies and on Nov. 20, he recorded his 1,217th career win at UConn. With this victory, he became the winningest coach in NCAA history, surpassing former Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer.

The Huskies organized a special event to celebrate Auriemma’s multiple milestones. Addressing fans and former players gathered at Gampel Pavilion, he said:

"No amount of championships and no amount of numbers or awards can take the place of the lives that we've impacted, that they've allowed us to impact. That, to me, is the strongest part."

"When it's over, whenever it is, what we'll remember is tonight, and I'll remember each and one of my players that I've ever coached. ... I don't know how much I helped them get what they wanted, but they helped me get everything I wanted."

After the 2016 NCAA championship, UConn has yet to win another title, but the Huskies have a strong chance this year. The Paige Bueckers-led team has all the pieces needed for a championship run, but only time will tell if they will emerge as winners.