Geno Auriemma Sends Blunt Message to WNBA Vets Jealous of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese

Kristen Wong | Jun 27, 2024

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Amid the ongoing WNBA chatter surrounding star rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, UConn’s Geno Auriemma doesn’t want to hear any “moans” or “groans” from the veterans in the league. 

The 11-time national title-winning coach joined LSU’s Kim Mulkey as panelists at the Aspen Ideas Festival earlier this week and delivered a brutally honest message to WNBA players whose egos may have been slightly wounded after Clark’s and Reese’s arrival to the league.

“[Caitlin Clark] and Angel Reese are not the two best players in the WNBA, but they’re the two most talked about players in the WNBA right now,” Auriemma said. “If you’re some of the players, you can moan and groan about why weren’t they talking about me when I was here, or you can just appreciate what it is and take advantage of it now.” 

“[Caitlin] and Angel Reese are not the two best players in the WNBA, but they’re the two most talked about players in the WNBA right now. If you’re some of the players… you can moan and groan about why weren’t they talking about me when I was here… or you can just appreciate… pic.twitter.com/bl199sJ9lz

— Vanshay Murdock 🎥🎥 (@VanshayM) June 27, 2024

Auriemma continued, “At some point, it’s always going to be about the game. It’s not going to be about all the other stuff off the court, and all the other extracurricular stuff that goes on.”

Clark and Reese, drafted by the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky at No. 1 and No. 7 respectively, have no doubt been instrumental in growing the women’s game this season. The Fever-Sky’s latest matchup over the weekend broke viewership records yet again, drawing the largest WNBA regular-season audience in 23 years.

In light of the two rookies’ burgeoning popularity, it would appear as though Auriemma is issuing a stern warning to the rest of the WNBA as the game only continues to grow: Don’t get left behind.