{
  "id": 14201029,
  "title": "Geno Auriemma shares why he roots for the Valkyries over Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/geno-auriemma-shares-why-he-roots-for-the-valkyries-over-paige",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-13T12:40:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/geno-auriemma-shares-why-roots-124000056.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "UConn head coach Geno Auriemma has made it clear that his loyalties lie with the Golden State Valkyries in the WNBA. With a career spanning forty years and eleven national titles at UConn, Auriemma's legacy has left a lasting impact on the professional game, particularly through the players he has groomed. When questioned about his preferences in the pros, Auriemma had no hesitation in supporting the Valkyries. He highlighted that four of his former students, Gabby Williams and Kiah Stokes, among others, have been instrumental in the team's success. Auriemma is particularly proud of the defensive prowess displayed by Kiah Stokes, who has carved out an impressive career by opting for minimal ball handling and focusing on blocking and rebounding. This philosophy has made her a favorite for many coaches. Despite the Valkyries facing tough competition from the Seattle Storm, their depth and the contributions of Auriemma's former players have proven to be the difference, as evidenced by a hard-fought playoff series.",
  "summary": "UConn head coach Geno Auriemma has made his loyalties clear in the WNBA. Geno Auriemma’s footprint is everywhere in the WNBA.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}