UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma made a June 6 appearance on the “Dan Patrick Show“.
Among the topics he discussed was Caitlin Clark’s rookie season with the Indiana Fever, and made some startling admissions about Clark’s fit with the team.
“The kid was set up for failure right from the beginning,” Auriemma said of Clark. “You know, Diana Taurasi was right. This kid is on the wrong team. She’s got the wrong skillset to handle the physicality of that league, and she’s a rookie.”
Auriemma doubled down on that sentiment later on during the interview. He said, “[Clark] needs to be on a better team, and she needs to be more experienced.”
The Indiana Fever currently have a 2-9 record during the 2024 WNBA season. This is the second-worst record in the league, only behind the Washington Mystics, who are 0-9 as of June 6.
Clark is currently averaging 15.6 points per game during the regular season.
Auriemma also criticized the entire 2024 WNBA rookie class during the segment.
“There’s a huge target on this kid’s back,” he said of Clark. “Cameron Brink said something really smart. She said, ‘now they’re expecting this rookie class to be perfect’. This rookie class isn’t even one of the best rookie classes in the last 10 years. But they’ve been put out to be that because of the way social media is today.”
Geno Auriemma Criticized Chennedy Carter For Caitlin Clark Foul
Geno Auriemma spoke with Dom Amore of the Hartford Courant for an article that was released on June 5.
During their discussion, 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.
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. “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.”
Indiana Fever GM Calls Out The WNBA For Caitlin Clark and Chennedy Carter Incident
Indiana Fever general manager Lin Dunn demanded change from the WNBA, after the incident between Clark and Carter occurred on June 1.
“There’s a difference between tough defense and unnecessary— targeting actions! It needs to stop! The league needs to ‘cleanup’ the crap! That’s NOT who this league is!!” Dunn posted on X June 1.
Fever head coach Christie Sides also addressed the June 1 incident during her postgame press conference. She said, “We’re just going to keep sending these possessions to the league and these plays, and hopefully they’ll start, you know, taking a better look at some of the things that we see happening or that we think is happening. Just more happy that Caitlin handled it the way she did.”
The Fever’s next game is against the Washington Mystics on June 7.
