The UConn Huskies have never been short on elite talent. From Breanna Stewart to Diana Taurasi to Maya Moore to Paige Bueckers and now Sarah Strong, Geno Auriemma has always found a way to bring the game’s best to Storrs. And it looks like a new name is being touted to make the legendary list one day.

According to Daniel Connolly of UConn WBB Weekly, Geno Auriemma had nothing but praise for freshman Gandy Malou-Mamel. The coach said he liked “everything” about her game.

“Not this year, but I think next year, the year after that, I think Gandy’s going to be a really big factor in UConn women’s basketball,” the veteran coach said. “She’s a great, great human being. Nobody can stop her from offensive rebounding, nobody can score over her… A great kid. But she’s got a little bit of an edgy, mean streak on the court. A lot of our guys stay clear of her, just saying.”

The 6-foot-6 center from Limerick, Ireland, became the first Irish player in UConn history when she arrived on campus this season. Malou-Mamel is studying marketing, playing for Auriemma, and came in ranked 75th in her class. But the way she got here is far from ordinary.

Malou-Mamel’s basketball journey started later than that of other stars at UConn. She began playing at 12 and didn’t fully commit to the sport until 15. She knew Ireland couldn’t offer the development she needed, and going to the U.S. was the goal. The problem was figuring out how to get there.

That answer came unexpectedly. Former Irish national team player Kieran Quinn spotted her while reviewing film of another player. One look at her potential was enough. He soon offered to host her with his family in New Jersey, giving her a path into U.S. basketball.

Malou-Mamel attended Gill St. Bernard’s in Gladstone, where her development took off. She averaged 17.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game as a senior in the 2024-25 season. The year before, she posted 16.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks.

That production carried over to the international stage as well, as she averaged 10.6 points and 10 rebounds while representing Ireland at the FIBA U20 Women’s EuroBasket Division B.

But UConn basketball is on a completely different level…

Malou-Mamel has seen just four minutes of college action so far, with her lone career basket coming against the Xavier Musketeers. Even so, that hasn’t stopped Auriemma from forecasting a bright future for the Irish standout.

The youngster is still very much a work in progress. She has the size and physicality to succeed at this level, and Geno Auriemma will focus on honing the skills needed to truly maximize her athleticism. She’s a long-term lottery ticket for the Huskies, with her real impact expected to come a year or two from now.

Which brings us to the question…

Why isn’t Malou-Mamel playing more for Geno Auriemma this season?

The season didn’t get off to an easy start for Malou-Mamel. A knock in practice, where she was “whacked” by Serah Williams accidentally, kept her out of the opener. She missed the first two games, returned in the third, and has only seen very limited minutes since.

The main reason is the Huskies’ stacked frontcourt this season. We’re used to associating a Geno Auriemma-led team with elite backcourt depth, but this year the strength lies up front. Jana El Alfy, Strong, and Williams provide plenty of high-level frontcourt options, leaving Malou-Mamel with little room to break into the rotation right now.

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Of course, looking ahead, things are bound to change. Williams won’t be around next season, which should open the door for the Irish standout to push for a spot in the rotation. El Alfy could also move on after the 2027-28 season, two years from now. And Malou-Mamel could very well be in line to become a key piece, or even a starter, for the Huskies, provided her development continues on the right track.