"Not as hardcore as he seems": UConn's KK Arnold makes honest admission about Geno Auriemma  

UConn coach Geno Auriemma's Huskies won a national championship in April, snapping a nine-year drought. Core players like Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers stayed fully fit after struggling with injuries to fuel the Huskies' natty run.

The key players were supported by reliable performers from the bench, including talented sophomore guard KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade. During an appearance on the Overtime Select podcast on Tuesday, Arnold made an honest admission about Auriemma's personality vis-a-vis his public perception among fans and players.

"He's (Geno Auriemma) a nice, loving guy and he's not as hardcore as he seems, which he is, don't get me wrong," Arnold said. "But he's a very tough, loving coach. I don't think many people see that. They see his bad side often."

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When Geno Auriemma praised KK Arnold's energy

KK Arnold was a three-time AP Wisconsin State Player of the Year and a McDonald's All-American with Team USA pedigree, winning gold at the 2022 FIBA U16 Americas Championship and the 2022 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup before committing to coach Geno Auriemma's UConn in 2023.

Arnold quickly became a starter (33 starts in 39 games) due to injuries to key players like Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers. She averaged 8.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists and was named to the Big East All-Freshman team.

During a news conference at the start of last season, Geno Auriemma lavished praise on Arnold and revealed why he was harder on her than some of his other players.

"She's been the biggest surprise, I think, simply because of her explosive energy," Geno Auriemma said. "She just is able to summon that up the entire practice on both sides of the floor. On offensive, she's just dynamic in the plays that she makes and on the defensive, and she's extremely disruptive. I've always said that the people who communicate the most, talk, are always engaged.

"They're the ones that get my wrath more than anybody else because I love the fact that they're holding themselves accountable by holding everybody else accountable, which means I can hold them accountable even more than the guys who don't put themselves out there like that. So, right from the beginning, KK comes out here and puts it out there."

Despite getting fewer minutes last season due to Bueckers and Fudd being healthy, Arnold was a key contributor to Auriemma's national championship-winning team, scoring nine points in the Final Four (against UCLA) and natty game (against South Carolina).