UConn's Geno Auriemma Raves Over Caitlin Clark, Despite Never Offering Her a Scholarship

The legendary University of Connecticut basketball coach never offered the Iowa star a scholarship, but called her the greatest women's basketball player of all-time on Monday night.

Feb 16, 2024; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma watches from the / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Hall of Fame UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma was asked about Iowa star Caitlin Clark, who scored 41 points on Monday night to punch her school's ticket to the Final Four in a win over LSU.

"I hope that Caitlin Clark had a personal agenda against LSU," Auriemma said, referencing the rematch of last season's national title game between the Hawkeyes and the Tigers. "And I know there's nothing personal between me and her, so I don't need to be seeing her drop 50 on us next weekend. I love her. I think she's the best player...forget I ever said Paige [Bueckers] is the best player in the country. I think [Clark]'s the best player of all time."

"I don't need to be seeing her drop 50 on us next weekend. I love her. I think she's the best player - forget that I ever said Paige was the player in the country. I think she's the best player of all time" 😂

- Geno Auriemma on Caitlin Clark pic.twitter.com/ca1TRifGdD

— UConn on SNY (@SNYUConn) April 2, 2024

Iowa stands in the way of the Huskies, who are seeking their first national championship appearance since the 2021 season after knocking off No. 1 seed USC on Monday night. Auriemma is hoping that there's not any extra motivation for Clark to bury UConn in next weekend's Final Four, but he left out one important detail.

He never offered Clark a scholarship out of high school.

"Honestly, it was more I wanted them to recruit me to say I got recruited," Clark told ESPN. "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."

Clark's coach at Dowling Catholic High School, Kristin Meyer, said that while some of the top schools in the country flooded into open gyms to see Clark play, there was one notable absence.

"Geno never came," Meyer told ESPN.

So whether Auriemma likes it or not, there will likely be plenty of motivation for Clark to send the Huskies home when the two teams meet in the Final Four next weekend.

Auriemma will need to devise the best game plan possible to give his talented group a chance to advance and eliminate quite possibly the greatest women's college basketball player of all time.