How soft-spoken UConn superstar Sarah Strong is embracing 'uncomfortable' leadership role ahead of junior year
Sarah Strong has been a centerpiece of UConn women's basketball since her freshman year, but the spotlight will be brighter during her junior season because now, she is the veteran player her teammates will look up to. Though Strong is naturally soft-spoken, she has seen first hand what good leadership looks like and is ready to grow into that role.
"I would say Paige and Azzi. Both of them," Strong told CBS Sports when asked what players have provided veteran guidance to her over the years.
"My freshman year, they were pretty much the leaders of the team. Everybody looked up to them. The way they held everything together just really impacted me and made me be better on the court, made me want to do more for the team and just give my all every time I was on the court."
I asked UConn’s Sarah Strong about mentors and players she looks up to. Her answer? Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd:
— Isabel Gonzalez (@cisabelg) June 24, 2026
“The way they held everything together just really impacted me and made me be better on the court and made me want to do more for the team” pic.twitter.com/9AKf3bPj8u
The three won a national championship together in 2025, Bueckers' last college basketball season and Strong's freshman year. That title run served as Strong's breakout on the national stage -- she dropped 24 points and 15 rebounds in the title game against South Carolina while setting an NCAA freshman record with a total of 114 points throughout the tournament.
Last season, Fudd and Strong led the Huskies to an almost perfect season before falling to the Gamecocks in the Final Four. Although UConn couldn't repeat, it was still a phenomenal year for Strong personally -- she swept all major national Player of the Year honors, including the Naismith award. More impressively, she recently told reporters that she played the 2025-26 season with an injured Achilles, which she tweaked last summer while playing 3x3 basketball with Team USA in Mongolia.
"That's when it really started to kind of affect me, but it kind of just carried on throughout the season... Closer to the end (of the season) it probably got worse," Strong revealed last week.
"I felt it walking to class or when I was sleeping, it would just be there. I kind of felt it in my everyday life."
Strong has been rehabbing and doing individual workouts, but she is not participating in team workouts in order to focus on recovery. She is still expected to play next season and will once again be considered one of the top players to watch in college basketball. Her game speaks for itself, but the stakes are higher with both Bueckers and Fudd gone to the WNBA.
"I think there is more weight on my shoulders leadership-wise this year," Strong said. "There is no one I can really hide behind and I think I need to kind-of step into that role and embrace it. I know it's going to be uncomfortable for me because I'm not the most outgoing person or loud, whatever. It's going to take time and just confidence, believing in myself."
Sarah Strong on embracing a bigger leadership role at UConn:
— Isabel Gonzalez (@cisabelg) June 24, 2026
“I think there is more weight on my shoulders leadership-wise this year. There is no one I can really hide behind and I think I need to kind of step into that role and embrace it.” pic.twitter.com/vahuzQUtEz
Strong is known as a soft-spoken player who would often try to defer questions to her teammates during press conferences. However, she is learning to embrace leadership and decided to get involved with Overtime Select this summer, putting her in a mentorship role for top high school players. She has already started making progress in this area, and people -- including Kaleena Smith, an Overtime Select star and the top recruit in the class of 2027 -- have taken notice.
"She is really stepping into that leadership role and coming into next year I think it's very important," Smith said in a conversation with CBS Sports at the Final Four. "And just per personality. I feel like it's coming out and showing out more. So I feel like on and off the court Sarah Strong has definitely caught my eye."
Although she only has two college basketball seasons under her belt, Strong has already learned some valuable lessons she wants to pass on to younger players, especially incoming UConn freshman Olivia Vukosa, the 2026 Gatorade Player of the Year.
"I'll keep reminding her to take her time. It's not supposed to be easy. If it was easy I feel like everybody would be able to do it. She is here for a reason and just stay confident in herself." Strong said.
UConn commit Olivia Vukosa will share the court with Sarah Strong next season… Diana Taurasi: “That’s crazy.”
What does Vukosa like about her future teammate’s game?
“Uh everything.” pic.twitter.com/VuEsV7Za5Q— Isabel Gonzalez (@cisabelg) March 19, 2026
That was the same advice Strong received when she first arrived in Storrs as a high profile freshman.
"Take it one day at a time," Strong recalls hearing. "It can't be easy coming in as a freshman, especially to UConn where there is a lot of rich history and stuff like that but just one day at a time. You are not gonna get it at first but with time, with practice and with repetition it's going to come a lot easier."
Add CBS Sports on GoogleBadenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
