Ever since taking the helm in 1985, Geno Auriemma has been the fairy godfather of UConn hoops. He has turned raw talent into legendary names like the “White Mamba” Diana Taurasi, who led UConn to three consecutive national championships from 2002 to 2004, and Sue Bird, who guided the Huskies to two national title wins. So, if you spot a UConn superstar, you know Geno must have been somewhere behind the curtain. Naturally, expectations from him are sky-high. Like, “win-or-we-riot,” high. But, after his most recent move, fans are doubting whether his magic wand needs polishing, wondering if Geno’s starting to fumble the script.
All this began with Paige Bueckers packing her bags for the WNBA. As one of the pantheon of UConn greats, her departure felt less like a graduation and more like a breakup because of the long distance that’s going to hurt for years. She was the one who led UConn to the golden time, clinching the program’s 12th championship. Yes, one has got to move on, but the way you do it matters, too, right?
And that’s where Kayleigh Heckel comes into the picture. For Geno, she’s the missing piece UConn needs right now. So, the head coach took a bold step. On Tuesday, former USC guard Kayleigh Heckel officially committed to the UConn Huskies, becoming the fifth transfer to join the program since the portal’s inception.
BREAKING: Kayleigh Heckel has committed to UConn. pic.twitter.com/hnoQcnWbia
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) May 20, 2025
Heckel comes in with three years of eligibility remaining after playing her freshman season last year in Los Angeles with USC. There, she averaged 6.1 points and 1.4 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game. “K9 by name, Husky by nature. See you in Storrs! Go Huskies,” Heckel posted on her Instagram, announcing her commitment.
While her college stats may not stand out yet, her long list of accolades certainly does. Notably, she’s a 2024 McDonald’s All-American, the 2023 MaxPreps New York Player of the Year, and has represented Team USA at the FIBA U-18 AmeriCup. No wonder ESPN ranked her No. 13 in the class of 2024.
So while these accomplishments clearly resonate with Geno Auriemma, UConn fans aren’t entirely on the same page as the head coach when it comes to this new transfer portal addition.
Despite Geno Auriemma’s proven record, fans are dissatisfied with his intent.
As usual, minutes after the news about the Huskies’ second addition from the transfer portal aired, fans didn’t hold back. They dove into the comment section and expressed their dissatisfaction with Geno’s move.
“Dumb move,” penned one user. And to be honest, that reaction makes sense—just consider Heckel’s performance on March 31st in the Elite Eight in Spokane. She contributed only five points and one rebound in 19 minutes. But it wasn’t just the stat line that drew criticism. What truly stood out was her struggle to guard Paige Bueckers during one of Bueckers’ key scoring plays.
“I’d commit, too, if PB5 did this to me. Can’t beat ‘em, so join ‘em,” wrote another user. Yeah, well, who can forget how Bueckers stared down Heckel then, yelling, “AND ONE”? So when Heckel committed to the Huskies and filled the final scholarship spot available for the 2025–26 season, the reactions were divided..
“What?” asked another user in disbelief. But even for Heckel, the decision wasn’t easy. The 5-foot-9 guard visited Notre Dame and Vanderbilt before choosing UConn. It was only after her visit to Storrs alongside Serah Williams in late April that her mind was made up. While Williams announced her decision on May 2, Heckel took a little more time before revealing hers.
Not every comment was negative, though. Some fans aligned with Geno’s perspective and welcomed the newest addition with open arms. “Heckel is a NY native, so it makes sense to go with UCONN HUSKIES,” penned a spectator. “she’ll be in the final 4 every year left in college! GO HUSKIES!” adding further to this, one fan wrote.
Well, Heckel, a native of Port Chester, New York, which is just a two-hour drive from Storrs, brings an impressive resume to the Huskies. Just consider, she finished her high school career with over 2,400 points, more than 500 rebounds, assists, and steals—plus 16 triple-doubles and even one quadruple-double. It’s easy to see why a top-tier program like USC recruited her. Still, the transition to NCAA basketball is never easy, and Heckel knew she needed to elevate her game. And she did. “She showed signs of greatness end of year!” penned another User.
While USC ultimately didn’t make it, Heckel was one of the most important pieces of their Elite Eight team. Even Tee Baker, who wasn’t so sure about the decision at first, somewhere along the way ended up admitting that the vision is there.
“I think that what is missing that has been available in the past two, three years is a really experienced point guard who has comfort starting at the point, right? It was Nika Muhl, then it was Kaitlyn Chen. Can KK Arnold step in that role? Or is it about bringing in Kayleigh Heckel and developing her? So, I think the backcourt is the piece that’s always interesting, and then just how those pieces all fit together,” Baker had said.
As for her flashes of brilliance, last season, she shot 45.9 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three-point range. In fact, when USC beat UConn at the XL Center on Dec. 21, she put up five points, two assists, and one steal in just 12 minutes off the bench. So, while UConn is a dynasty, she herself has been showing great improvement. Though it’s not a one-way deal!
Sport Bilder des Tages NCAA, College League, USA Womens Basketball: NCAA Tournament Spokane Regional-USC Trojans vs UConn Huskies Mar 31, 2025 Spokane, WA, USA UConn Huskies guard Kaitlyn Chen 20, guard Paige Bueckers 5 and forward Aubrey Griffin 44 pose for a photo after a Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game against the USC Trojans at Spokane Arena. Spokane Spokane Arena WA USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJamesxSnookx 20250331_mcd_an2_385
Even for Huskies, adding her brings a lot of advantage. Majorly, as Heckel brings valuable depth to the backcourt for the 2025–26 season, especially following the expected departure of their superstar guard. That depth is crucial, considering how essential Bueckers has been to the program. Now with her departure, players like KK Arnold and Ashlynn Shade are expected to step into bigger roles. And Heckel’s partnership with Arnold is something to look for.
The bench unit might be in for a serious glow-up, thanks to two players who know how to pick pockets and spark fast breaks like it’s second nature. But that’s not all—Heckel could be the perfect support for Sarah Strong. With her knack for slicing through defenses and lanes, she’ll create the kind of chaos in the paint that lets Strong dominate down low without breaking a sweat.
But that’s not the only reason to trust Geno’s instincts. Notably, UConn has had a 100% success rate with its incoming transfers so far. Before Heckel, Dorka Juhász transferred from Ohio State and started 44 games over two seasons, averaging 14.2 points and 9.9 rebounds in her final year. Fairfield transfer Lou Lopez Sénéchal played nearly 32 minutes per game in her lone season with the Huskies, leading the team in three-point percentage and averaging 15.5 points. Most recently, Kaitlyn Chen joined as a graduate transfer from Princeton in 2024–25, starting all 40 games and shooting a career-best 51.4%. So, what do you think—will Heckel be able to live up to the high expectations already set by her predecessors?
The post After Paige Bueckers’ Departure, Geno Auriemma’s Transfer Portal Decision Leaves Fans In Frenzy: “Dumb Move” appeared first on EssentiallySports.
