UConn head coach Geno Auriemma has a bit of history with Paige Bueckers’ new Dallas Wings teammate—a story that dates back to 2014.
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At the time, Auriemma appeared interested in recruiting Arike Ogunbowale, one of the top prospects in her class. But when Ogunbowale tweeted her top five college choices—Louisville, Notre Dame, Ohio State, UCLA and Wisconsin—UConn was noticeably absent. She would ultimately go on to commit to Notre Dame.
Following her top five announcement, Auriemma took to then-Twitter (now X) with a pointed response. The now-deleted tweet read: “Stay tuned for my list of the 5 players I saw the past 7 days that I have zero interest in recruiting…. #whatajoke.”
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To this day, most people assume the tweet was directed at Ogunbowale, and the tension seemed to linger over the years. Fast forward to the 2025 WNBA Draft, when Paige Bueckers—who starred under Auriemma at UConn—was selected first overall by the Dallas Wings. That made her teammates with none other than Ogunbowale.
Auriemma attended a recent Wings game, and afterward, he and Ogunbowale shared a moment. She posted on X: “dapped up Geno after the game. the beef is officially over 😭😂”
dapped up Geno after the game. the beef is officially over 😭😂
— Arike Ogunbowale (@Arike_O) June 18, 2025
Looks like Auriemma’s star Husky may have played a role in finally putting the feud to rest.
The Arike vs Geno beef is officially OVER! pic.twitter.com/ZHHqMDvPvz
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) June 18, 2025