With Caitlin Clark and the intensity she’s faced dominating the WNBA conversation this season, one of women’s college basketball’s iconic coaches is speaking out — and he’s not particularly happy with what he’s seen.
Auriemma, who just signed a five-year contract extension before the University of Connecticut Coaches Roadshow on Tuesday, said he expects intense play with rookies but the situation Clark found himself in took it a step too far.
Clark was pinned in the shoulder by Sky’s Chennedy Carter last Saturday, and Carter was subsequently assessed a flagrant foul for the incident but refused to discuss it immediately afterwards.
The play has been widely discussed within and outside the sports world, and was featured on ESPN’s “First Take” Watch Indiana lawmakers speak out.
Auriemma said he believes Clark, who appeared to be arguing with Carter throughout the Fever win, was “being targeted” early in her WNBA career.
“Every rookie has to go through the growing pains of being a professional basketball player,” the coach told reporters. According to CT Insider“The more attention you get, and attention in the world today is number one, and attention brings money. So does she face any newbie challenges, any newbie difficulties? Yes. She’s being targeted.”
Carter later addressed the hard foul and said he had no regrets about his physical play against Clark.
“I’m a competitor. No matter who I’m up against, no matter who’s in front of me, I’m going to compete. So that’s what it was,” Carter told reporters on Monday. “It was a frenzy of a moment. We were working hard. Offensive and defensive play. It’s basketball. It’s all basketball. At the end of the game, it’s all love.”
“I have no regrets about anything. No matter who my opponent is, like I said, whoever my opponent is, I’m going to give it my all, 100 percent. I have no regrets at all.”
ahead of the 2024 WNBA Draft at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters
Auriemma is Clark could have been a college player.continued to defend her against unfair treatment of her in court.
He also spoke about how both Larry Bird and Michael Jordan elevated the level of the NBA in the 1980s and how he felt they didn’t get the same “targeted” treatment that Clark is currently getting in the WNBA.
“Be grateful that this is the time [for the WNBA]I get it. You should have done that a long time ago. Why blame the girl? It’s not her fault. You’d be swapping places with her in a minute, but you’re not there. You’re not her. So you [complaining] She’s getting what she’s getting.”
Auriemma isn’t the first to compare Bird and Jordan to Clark and Sky rookie Angel Reese. Rachel Nichols during an appearance on Wednesday On “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” she said the rivalries already brewing in the WNBA are good for the sport.
The Fever next face the Mystics on Friday, looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss to the Liberty in which Clark scored a career-low three points.
