Being compared to a $63.2 million NBA superstar would surprise any college player, and it clearly surprised Sarah Strong.

On the Touch More podcast with Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, Sarah Strong joined to talk about various topics. In one conversation, Sue Bird asked Sarah’s thoughts about the comparisons with NBA superstar Nikola Jokic. WNBA legend Diana Taurasi compared the UConn forward to Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic during last season’s championship run.

“That’s a crazy comparison,” Sarah said. “I think he’s really good, I mean, I guess. I don’t really know. I don’t want to compare myself to him. He’s in the NBA. He’s really good. I just don’t know. It’s a little surprising.”

The comparison quickly earned her the nickname “Baby Jokic.” The 20-year-old’s all-around gameplay and domination on both ends of the floor for the UConn Huskies is akin to how Jokic contributes for the Denver Nuggets. This season has only reinforced that label.

Sarah is averaging 19.3 points per game in 27.2 minutes on the court. But her overall contribution has been spectacular, and such a player is hard to find in College Basketball. She also functions as a playmaker, averaging 4.3 assists per game while holding up as a tough defender.

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She tops the Conference this season in steals, points, and field goal percentage, which, in a way, justifies the Jokic comparisons. The Denver Nuggets star is also a Conference leader in rebounds and assists this season, and is averaging 28.5 points in 34.3 minutes played per game.

Strong’s hesitation makes sense. Jokic is a superstar in Basketball right now, with Forbes valuing the Denver Nuggets Center at $63.2 million. Meanwhile, the 20-year-old is still in College Basketball and will not be WNBA draft-eligible until 2027.

For now, Strong prefers to focus on results rather than labels. That mindset showed immediately in UConn’s latest comeback win.

Sarah Strong is unsatisfied with the start in comeback win over Villanova

The UConn Huskies have become accustomed to huge leads and one-sided matchups. Their 28-0 record has rarely been in danger, except in a few moments against Michigan and Tennessee. However, the Villanova Wildcats provided a rare scare to Geno Auriemma’s team at the Finneran Pavilion.

Villanova took advantage of UConn’s slow start and made the game competitive. The Wildcats were tenacious enough to even go into halftime with a 3-point lead. Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd again led the second-half charge as the Huskies registered a comfortable 83-69 win. The two combined for 46 points on the night, with a 6-of-8 shooting from behind the arc.

Strong was unhappy with the slow start and said so after the game. Despite playing with an unspecified illness and having almost no voice after the game, the 20-year-old said to the press,” Starting the game off, playing a full 40 minutes, not waiting until halftime for Coach to yell at us to get better.”

This isn’t the first time either. Tennessee also managed a lead going into halftime before the aging Huskies rallied to a 30-point win. The team shouldn’t need a halftime message from head coach Geno Auriemma to raise its intensity. The players have to be alert and mindful from the beginning. That habit could matter against elite tournament opponents.

Strong’s reaction to the Jokic comparison showed humility — her reaction after the Villanova win showed leadership. At UConn, reputation doesn’t matter nearly as much as meeting the standard every night.