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Vanessa Bryant evokes daughter, Gigi, while congratulating UConn on national title

On3 imageby: Sam Gillenwater04/06/25samdg_33
Vanessa Bryant
Kyle Terada | Imagn Images

Gianna Bryant was a fan of Connecticut growing up and hoped to one day herself be a Husky. Now, with UConn winning their twelfth national title on Sunday, Vanessa Bryant knows how happy her daughter would have been.

After their 82-59 victory over South Carolina to win the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament in Tampa, Bryant posted the team’s image on her story on Instagram. She captioned it by saying how glad that Gigi would’ve been to see it with a quote from her late child.

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“Gigi would’ve loved being there with you. ‘When you think you can’t, UConn’ – Gianna Bryant,” Bryant wrote on IG. “Congratulations @genoauriemma @uconnwbb”

Bryant was a known fan of the Huskies in his thirteen years before her tragic passing along with her father, Kobe Bryant. At the time back in 2020, Connecticut honored her with a memorial on their bench during an exhibition between them and Team USA. Geno Auriemma would then later speak at their memorial service the next month at the Staples Center.

This is the first national title that UConn has won since their deaths. Bryant did get to grow up and see their run through the 2010s where the Huskies made a dozen straight berths in the Final Four and won six of their eleven championships at the point, including a four-peat, under Auriemma. However, for the first time in almost a decade, Connecticut won what’s now their twelfth title.

Storrs will certainly be excited about this as one of their basketball programs will be bringing back yet another national title. Gigi Bryant will be celebrating in spirit as well as her favorite team retook their spot atop women’s college basketball this season.

Auriemma, Bueckers cut down the nets after UConn wins 2025 NCAA Tournament

For the first time in nearly a decade, UConn ended a season cutting down more nets after the Huskies dominated South Carolina, the sports defending champion, with a 23-point win on Sunday to end the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament. The Huskies took part in that title-winning tradition in Tampa on Sunday, including trips up the ladder for Geno Auriemma and Paige Bueckers.