In a world where player movement is at an all-time high across the country thanks to the transfer portal and NIL, UConn is an anomaly. Since the portal was instituted in the fall of 2018, the Huskies have lost a total of 12 players. Only a small handful ever spent time in the rotation and none were major contributors.

Geno Auriemma doesn’t take that for granted.

“I'm privileged to be in this situation,” he said. “I don't think a lot of coaches in America are in my situation.”

UConn hasn’t just gotten lucky, though. The Huskies have built a program that players want to be a part of. It’s not just about winning national championships — although those certainly help. They recruit high-quality people who are also elite basketball players, which creates tight bonds within the team. They also ensure the players have all the resources they need to be successful.

“Our players are pretty savvy and pretty smart. They understand that what they get off the floor here, they can't get anywhere else in America,” Auriemma said.