Sarah Strong: How European Roots Made UConn's Best Player
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- Sarah Strong, the 2025 NCAA champion and 2026 Naismith Player of the Year, addressed international prospects at Basketball Without Borders during WNBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago, crediting her European upbringing with shaping her basketball identity.
- Born in Madrid, Strong began playing at Club Baloncesto Alcobendas while her mother — Celtics VP Allison Feaster — played professionally in Spain from 2013-16, absorbing fundamentals from practices and gym-side observation.
- Holding dual French citizenship and speaking multiple languages, Strong cites European fundamentals and NBA stars Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić as style influences on her game.
- After moving to the U.S. at age 10, Strong became the No. 1 high school recruit, a four-time Team USA gold medalist, and is projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2028 WNBA Draft.
- UConn adds French, Serbian, and Croatian players this season after a Final Four loss to South Carolina, with Strong stepping into a vocal leadership role as a junior without veterans Paige Bueckers, Kaitlyn Chen, and Azzi Fudd.
Why it matters: Strong, already projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2028 WNBA Draft, gives UConn its best returning player as it loses Bueckers, Chen, and Fudd. Her European roots — Madrid-born, French citizen, trained in Spanish fundamentals — now anchor a retooled roster drawing from six countries and chasing a 13th national title.
