Geno Auriemma Praises Brianna Stewart’s Impact
LAS VEGAS — UW coach Geno Auriemma describes Brianna Stewart’s career as “groundbreaking.”
Stewart, a four-time NCAA champion at UConn and a two-time WNBA MVP, has also secured three WNBA championships with two different teams. However, it’s her off-court contributions that might ultimately shape her legacy even more.
She played a crucial role in negotiating a recent collective bargaining agreement that resulted in the WNBA’s first $1 million contract and established a significant revenue-sharing model for women’s professional sports.
Additionally, Stewart is a co-founder of Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 basketball league offering players a chance to compete in the U.S. during the WNBA offseason.
“I’m really proud of her,” Auriemma commented before Stewart led the Liberty to an 87-76 victory over the defending champion Aces, scoring 20 points. “It’s easy to say, ‘I’m just a basketball player.’ But in today’s world, we’ve seen how some men in sports leverage their fame in other arenas. For example, George Foreman is now just as well-known for his grill as for boxing. People often forget about Shaq’s basketball days; they focus on his numerous ventures. And Michael Jordan’s shoes, well, they sell better now than they did during his playing days.”
“Women, however, haven’t really had that same level of exposure or support to excel both on and off the court. So, taking advantage of the opportunities available, that’s groundbreaking. Although there are others, A’ja Wilson is also doing impressive things.”
Auriemma plans to head to New York in a couple of weeks for the Liberty’s game against the Dallas Wings. He’ll reconnect with Stewart and some former players, including Azee Fudd and Paige Bakkers, during the broadcast on July 7.
Joining him at the broadcast table will be Robin Roberts from ABC’s “Good Morning America” and Beth Mowins from ESPN. This game marks the 30th season of the league.
Auriemma and Roberts shared the screen during ESPN’s inaugural WNBA broadcast back in 1997. Roberts, who became an equity investor in the Liberty last year, expressed a mix of excitement and nerves about returning to live game commentary.
Auriemma recalls feeling anxious during his initial broadcast. He lightheartedly mentioned being “even more nervous” now that he knows what could go wrong.
Roberts teasingly reminded him of his sparse notes for that first broadcast, which were supposedly scribbled on a napkin. She asked if he feels more prepared this time.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” Auriemma replied. “Let’s just jump in, watch the game, and see where it takes us.”
He reminisced about an incident where he distractedly talked about a restaurant visit instead of the game, while production staff urged him to stay focused on the gameplay.
“Now that we’re adults, we can say whatever we want, Rob,” Auriemma added.
Roberts humorously nudged back, “What are they going to do, fire us?”
Auriemma echoed, “Yeah, what could they do? Fire us?”
