NIL’s 2021 policy has helped the college athletes big time. But under Geno Auriemma, there’s no easy shortcut.

Three of the UConn Huskies players are now among NIL’s highest-paid athletes. But this feat came with a warning from Coach Auriemma.

Azzi Fudd, KK Arnold and Sarah Strong made it to the list. And Auriemma expects nothing but the best from his players.

In 2025, UConn’s legendary Coach opened up about NIL’s policy. While he appreciated players getting paid, which they could not before 2021, he also said that these players should meet the expectations. To him, both aspects are interlinked.  

“I’m okay with them getting paid $100,000, $200,000, $500,000, whatever the number is”, Auriemma said. “But I’m also okay with them getting fired if they don’t perform. You can't have one without the other."

And despite the bold warning, the 3 players aren’t failing to keep up. UConn Guard Fudd has been averaging 17.4 points and 3.0 assists this season. For Strong, it has been 19.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Meanwhile, Arnold is also scoring 7.2 PPG and 4.5 assists.

Moreover, the Huskies are the 1^st in the Big East, with their flawless 25-0 season. They played against the Butler Bulldogs on February 7 and had an 80-48 win. 17 of those came from Fudd, who also grabbed 4 assists.

So, no one is getting fired as it seems. As long as the players take their sport seriously and maintain an obligation towards their team’s well-being, the UConn coach is all for players getting paid. And when a remark comes from someone like Auriemma, it’s only wise to listen up.

Geno Auriemma’s Coaching Raised Some of the Best Players

In his nearly 40 years of tenure at UConn, Auriemma raised stars like Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, etc. Moore led the Huskies to two NCAA championships in 2009-10, undefeated, while earning several titles herself.

Later on, she led the Minnesota Lynx to 4 WNBA championships, herself being an All-Star 5 times.

Then there was Taurasi, one of the best Clutch performers who led the Huskies to three consecutive championships from 2002-04. Later on, she became the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, pushing the Phoenix Mercury to 3 championship titles.

Among the newer generations, the list includes Paige Bueckers and Stewart, who are currently dominating the W league and the 3v3 Unrivaled. In a nutshell, these UConn athletes have kept the bar high, and Auriemma knows what to expect from his roster.

So, do you agree with Auriemma’s take? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Deblina Roy

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu