Getty Geno Auriemma and Caitlin Clark.
Women’s college basketball coaching legend Geno Auriemma spoke with Dom Amore of the Hartford Courant for an article that was released on June 5.
In the interview, Auriemma criticized Chicago Sky player Chennedy Carter, who knocked Caitlin Clark down during a June 1 game.
“The kid (Carter) that knocked her out?” Auriemma said. “That’s the only time she’s ever been on TV, and the only time she’s ever been interviewed by reporters. ‘Hey, I’m not answering any Caitlin Clark questions.’ That’s just junior high stuff.”
Auriemma’s alluding to Carter’s refusal to answer questions about her altercation with Clark during her June 1 postgame media availability.
Auriemma also offered advice for veteran WNBA players who’ve been hard on Clark.
“Appreciate the fact that now is the time,” he said. “I get it. I get it. It’s long overdue, but why are you blaming that kid (Clark)? It’s not her fault. You would trade places with her in a minute, but you’re not there, you’re not her, so you’re (complaining) that she’s getting what she’s getting.”
The UConn coaching icon also noted that he believes Clark is being “targeted” by league veterans.
“Every rookie has to go through the growing pains of being a professional basketball player,” Auriemma said of Clark. “And the more attention you get, and in today’s world, attention is No.1, attention brings money … so is [Clark] facing the rookie challenge, the rookie hardships that are inherent with being a rookie? Yes. She’s also being targeted.”
Geno Auriemma Didn’t Recruit Caitlin Clark To UConn
UConn faced Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four of the 2024 NCAA women’s basketball tournament. Three days prior, Auriemma was asked why he didn’t recruit Clark by Carl Adamec of CT Insider.
“Well, there’s a lot of kids we didn’t recruit and there’s a lot of kids who don’t want to go to UConn,” Auriemma said. “I committed to Paige Bueckers very, very early and it would have been silly for me to say to Paige, ‘Hey listen, we’re going to put you in the backcourt and then I’m going to try really hard to recruit Caitlin Clark.’ I don’t do it that way.”
In an ESPN profile by Wright Thompson from March 20, Clark made her feelings about UConn’s lack of interest clear.
“Honestly, it was more I wanted [UConn] to recruit me to say I got recruited,” Clark said. “I loved UConn. I think they’re the coolest place on Earth, and I wanted to say I got recruited by them. They called my AAU coach a few times, but they never talked to my family and never talked to me.”
Geno Auriemma’s UConn Contract Extension
On June 4, UConn director of athletics David Benedict announced the school has signed Auriemma to a five-year contract extension.
“Auriemma’s contract extension, which runs through April 2029, is valued at $18.7 million over the five-year term and includes the opportunity to earn additional compensation in the form of performance-based incentives,” UConn’s June 4 announcement wrote. “He will receive a base salary of $400,000 per year and an additional compensation for speaking, consulting and media obligations of $2.94 million for the 2024-25 season, which increases by $200,000 each year through the term of the contract.”
Auriemma was quoted in the school’s announcement saying, “I still find it hard to believe that I’ve been at UConn for over half my life. I feel like there’s so much more that can be done, and will be done, and I’m excited to be the one to do it with my staff and my team. I’m probably as excited about these next few years as I’ve ever been over the last 40.”
UConn has won 11 NCAA Championships, competed in 23 NCAA Final Fours, and won 59 conference championships under Auriemma.