Geno Auriemma is in his 39th season at UConn and near 1,200 wins. He ponders the end of his career

VILLANOVA, Pa. — The frame reserved for Geno Auriemma’s photo is empty — it rests atop two display cases of autographed UConn basketballs to the right of a collection of Joel Embiid memorabilia — inside a suburban Philadelphia sandwich shop. “It says, ‘Coming soon, Geno Auriemma.’” The reason for the blank space: Auriemma has yet to visit the store — the No. Auriemma stood by comments from last month that caught him heat — from Reese and Mississippi State’s Lauren Park-Lane among others — for lamenting in the portal era that some players “feel like they owe you nothing and you owe them everything.” “I think that’s why coaches get into coaching, is to have those kind of relationships with their players,” Auriemma said last week at Villanova. It just doesn’t happen enough.” Auriemma teared up at last month’s celebration of past great teams during a highlight film of his 2003-04 Huskies that finished 31-4 and won a national title. Auriemma, though, perhaps foreshadowed his future when he noted UConn likely would offer him another contract, but “at some point, you’re going to say no.” He has grandchildren he’d like to spend more time with — including a 10-year-old grandson who cries when the Philadelphia Eagles lose — and enjoy the spoils of retirement.