Two basketball legends sharing one perfect mentor. Sue Bird and Maya Moore will both have Geno Auriemma standing beside them when they’re officially enshrined in the Hall of Fame this September. For these UConn icons, there’s no one they’d rather have introducing them to basketball immortality.
How Will Sue Bird and Maya Moore Be Honored at the Hall of Fame?
Both WNBA icons have chosen legendary University of Connecticut coach Auriemma as one of their official presenters. They will be formally inducted on September 6 at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts.
For Bird, the honor comes after a tremendous career spanning more than two decades. Her accolades include four WNBA championships with the Seattle Storm, who selected her first in the 2002 WNBA draft, five Olympic gold medals with Team USA, and two NCAA Championships with the UConn Huskies.
She will be presented by Auriemma, her coach during her UConn days, along with fellow Huskies legend and Storm teammate Swin Cash.
Moore’s career was defined by dominance and decorated with four WNBA titles with the Minnesota Lynx, an MVP award, two Olympic gold medals with Team USA, and two NCAA Championships with the UConn Huskies.
She will be honored by a remarkable lineup of presenters. Alongside Auriemma and Cash, Moore will have former Lynx teammates Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen, as well as Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings, presenting the award.
Born on March 23, 1954, in Montella, Italy, Auriemma is widely regarded as one of the most successful coaches in women’s college basketball history. He has been the head coach of the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team since 1985.
Auriemma is a fixture in every major “Coach of the Year” conversation. He has won eight Naismith Coach of the Year awards, nine AP Coach of the Year honors, seven WBCA National Coach of the Year awards, and six USBWA National Coach of the Year awards.
His success also extends to the international stage. He guided Team USA to three Olympic gold medals. He first won as an assistant in 2000, and later as a head coach in 2012 and 2016. He also led Team USA to gold at the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Championships.
Which Other WNBA Stars Learned Under Auriemma’s System?
During his still-active tenure as UConn Huskies skipper, Auriemma coached several players, including Bird and Moore, who later achieved superstardom in the WNBA.
Rebecca Lobo, who was a key figure in UConn’s first NCAA title in 1995, was a trailblazer for the WNBA’s early years. Diana Taurasi, widely regarded as one of the greatest women’s basketball players ever, won three NCAA championships under Auriemma.
Breanna Stewart, a three-time WNBA champion and two-time MVP, won four NCAA titles under Auriemma. Tina Charles, the 2012 WNBA MVP, is a two-time NCAA champion.
Paige Bueckers, the number one pick in the 2025 WNBA draft and favorite to win the Rookie of the Year Award, was a key piece of the UConn Huskies’ recent NCAA triumph.
