When it comes to the greatest players to ever wear a UConn jersey, Breanna Stewart’s name sits right at the top. The Huskies legend delivered one of the most dominant college careers the sport has ever seen, leading the program to four straight national championships and redefining what sustained excellence looks like. But as effortless as it may seem looking back, Stewart herself admits the journey under Geno Auriemma was anything but easy.

“I had to learn a lot. I think the biggest thing was that I thought I was working hard, but I wasn’t working hard enough. There was a level of hard work that I just hadn’t reached yet,” Breanna Stewart said on The Pivot Podcast. “Not because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t have the pressure or the standard right in front of my face every single day.”

She continued, “So that, and the mental toughness. Coach Auriemma will try to break you to build you back up stronger. Especially my freshman year—you guys know—once you lose your mental toughness, you don’t know which way is left or right. I was like, I don’t even know if I can confidently say I can make a layup right now.”

Stewie isn’t the only one who has said this about coach Geno Auriemma. Earlier last year, even Paige Bueckers spoke about the same thing, explaining how Auriemma would tell you things you didn’t want to hear—but deep down, you knew he was right. There are aspects of your game you believe you’re good at, but once you start training under him, you quickly realize that might not actually be the case. That’s the level of excellence expected under coach Geno.

Well, there’s a reason UConn has twelve national championships. Players may love working under coach Geno Auriemma because he brings the best out of them, but the journey is anything but easy. She was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player a record four times, was a three-time consensus National Player of the Year, and finished her career as a Lady Husky with a remarkable 151–5 record…a legacy that still defines excellence in Storrs.

Breanna Stewart took everything she learned under Geno Auriemma and translated it seamlessly into WNBA greatness. She won Rookie of the Year, captured three WNBA championships, earned two Finals MVP awards, and has been named an All-Star seven times. Yes, coach Auriemma has a tendency to break you in training, but that’s only to ensure he brings out the very best in you. And the perfect example of that process working happens to be Stewie herself.

But for all the success Breanna Stewart has enjoyed, criticism has never been far away. But Stewie knows that scrutiny comes with greatness. That’s why she recently had a message for players dealing with the same pressure, pointing to two athletes who have faced the noise and proven their doubters wrong time and time again.

Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark get Breanna Stewart shoutout

Caitlin Clark’s arrival may have brought more eyes to the game, but a natural consequence of that attention has been increased criticism. Sure, criticism has always been part of the game, but it’s hard to deny that Clark’s rise has amplified the scrutiny players face, especially after a poor performance.

Be it Breanna Stewart, Caitlin Clark, or Angel Reese, all have faced intense fan criticism after a poor performance. But according to Stewie, that scrutiny is simply part of the game as the WNBA continues to grow in popularity. She praised both Clark and Reese for the way they have handled the noise so far, while encouraging other players to learn how to embrace both the praise and the criticism that comes with the spotlight.

“If we want to be in this space where we’re getting all the things we want, you have to be able to take both,” Stewart said on the same podcast. “That’s just the way it is. Don’t let it rattle you. I think Angel, Caitlin, those two especially, they don’t let it rattle them. They know that they’re really elevating the game and not everybody’s gonna love them, not everybody’s gonna hate them.”

We also have to give credit to players like Angel Reese, who often finds herself at the center of intense criticism every time she steps on the court. Last season, she faced heavy scrutiny for the start she had, and the “mebounds” trend quickly went viral as a result. But the way she embraced the moment, even trademarking the term and turning the social media buzz to her advantage, shows just how well she knows how to handle the noise and use it as motivation.

The WNBA’s popularity is at an all-time high, and players know that poor performances will always come with criticism. But as Stewie pointed out, if players are able to embrace that pressure the way Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have, they will ultimately be in a much better place.

Stewart’s admission comes at a time when the WNBA finds itself at a critical crossroads. Yes, the league’s popularity keeps increasing, but we still don’t know if there will even be a league to play next season. If both parties fail to reach an agreement on the new CBA, we could soon be looking at a situation where games begin to be missed. That’s something none of us want to see.