"Cute moment": Former UConn star Gabby Williams takes a lighthearted dig at South Carolina and Tennessee

Former UConn star Gabby Williams threw a lighthearted dig at South Carolina and Tennessee on the subject of the best women's basketball school in the nation.

Williams was a guest on the Club 520 podcast with former NBA player Jeff Teague and his friends, DJ Wells and Brandon Hendricks. The forward, who arrived in Storrs at the halfway point of their four-peat from 2013-2016, said UConn was the best school with all the titles they've won from 1995.

The hosts reacted to her statement, pointing out that Tennessee and South Carolina might have something to say about that. But Williams laughed it off and pushed back at their subtle comments.

"No disrespect, but I obviously disagree,e but anyways, cute moment," Williams said (Timestamp: 15:50). "Shout out to Tennessee and South Carolina. Very cute. Mad respect though for especially what Dawn Staley is doing right now. I think she is she is building a dynasty. That's no debate about that."

But the Sparks, Nevada, native was proud to state that the coach of the real dynasty is Geno Auriemma, because it is felt as the player steps onto the campus.

"And then you have to ask yourself, 'Oh, am I actually built for this,'" Williams said (Timestamp: 16:16). "Because everyone wants to be cute and everyone wants to have the championships, but it is actually an insane kind of like just a pressure cooker environment."

Williams played 149 games for the Huskies in four seasons and averaged 10.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Her best season was in the 2016-17 season, averaging 14.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 5.1 apg and 2.7 spg.

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Gabby Williams remembers 12-time champion coach Geno Auriemma

Former UConn star Gabby Williams also talked about how Huskies coach Geno Auriemma treats her players during practice sessions. The 5-foot-11 forward described Auriemma as someone who could be hard on a player during workouts, but he imparts a lesson that they would fully understand when they grow up.

"He was right about a lot of things and I didn't want to admit it, but that man was right about a lot of stuff," Williams said (Timestamp: 16:55). He knows how to make the best product."

The Seattle Storm star remembered how their training was at Storrs. She pointed out that the coaching staff implemented a rigid training regimen during the offseason to help players become physically fit for the new season.

Williams is in her seventh season in the WNBA. She played for the Chicago Sky during her first three seasons until 2020, but ended up with the Storm after getting acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2022.

Overall, she suited up for 172 games and averaged 8.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per contest.

Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey - who is NCAAW's highest-paid coach? Find out here

Edited by Geoff