RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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TAMPA, FL - MARCH 02, 2023: Head coach Geno Auriemma (left) of the Connecticut Huskies poses with head coach Jose Fernandez of the South Florida Bulls just before the start of the game at the Sun Dome. (J. Meric/Getty Images)
Before UConn's return to the Big East, Geno Auriemma and Jose Fernandez reunited at least twice a year, occasions which, according to a The Athletic report Monday , often featured good wine, good cigars and good steak.
Fernandez spent 25 years at South Florida before he was hired as the Dallas Wings head coach ahead of the 2026 WNBA season to take over the responsibility of coaching star point guard Paige Bueckers from Auriemma. And while the two coaches share plenty of hobbies and 66 years of combined college coaching experience, Auriemma believes that Fernandez differs from himself in a few key ways that benefit Bueckers.
"He thinks wide and wants to try new things, which is great for a player like Paige," Auriemma told The Athletic. "And his temperament will be really, really good for her. He doesn't lose his sh--. He stays pretty calm on the sideline, which is probably a welcome relief to her. They see things the same."
Auriemma's hard-nosed coaching style recently took center stage in Apple TV's three-part docuseries released last week, which revealed that he and Bueckers spent portions of the point guard's senior season on non-speaking terms . Fernandez enjoyed an up-close look at Auriemma's approach when he visited Storrs last November, seeking advice on how to maximize his second-year superstar.
Ultimately, it was Bueckers who demanded stringency and accountability from Fernandez as the pair met on a Zoom call during Dallas' hiring process and shared a pre-season meal at the USA Basketball training camp in North Carolina.
"We want that level of accountability here," Bueckers said. "It started with me wanting to be coached and wanting to get yelled at and to be put in my place and be held to a higher standard."
"She wants brutal honesty," Fernandez added. "She wants to be told the truth. She's a competitor, man. She's damn relentless in everything that she does."
Bueckers has certainly flourished under this new regime, averaging nearly 21 points and six assists per game on a 57% effective field goal percentage. And while Fernandez's leadership came under some scrutiny during a 1-5 skid to begin the month, the Wings have now reeled off three-straight wins to clinch a playoff berth and the franchise's winningest season since relocating to Texas.
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