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UConn’s Geno Auriemma believes Caitlin Clark is being ‘targeted’ after Chennedy Carter incident in WNBA

Theo

While much of this was to be expected, longtime UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma believes Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark has been “targeted” so far during her rookie season in the WNBA.

Auriemma’s comments came after Clark was hit by Chicago Sky forward Chennedy Carter during their game on Saturday. That play, which was later upgraded to an intentional foul by the league, has since become the subject of much criticism and debate in the sports world.

“Does she face the challenge of being a rookie, the difficulties that come with being a rookie? Yes,” Auriemma said Wednesday, via ESPN’s Michael Voepel. “She’s being targeted, too.”

Carter hip-checked Clark late in the third quarter of the Fever’s win over the Sky on Saturday, knocking her to the ground from behind. Carter was called a regular foul at the time, but the league upgraded it the next day and fined her $1,000. The two had been arguing during the game leading up to the foul, but Carter escalated the situation significantly.

“Chennedy got carried away in the heat of the moment trying to win the game,” Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon said in a statement. “She and I discussed what happened and we have determined it was not appropriate, nor is it what we do or who we are.”

Carter, who refused to talk about Clark immediately after the game (which Auriemma described as “middle school stuff”), later said she “doesn’t regret” the foul itself.

“Aside from basketball, it’s all love at the end of the day,” Carter said. “When we’re in those four lines, it’s smoke. After that, it’s all love.”

Clark has been pretty quiet about the game itself and instead just kept moving forward. She’s averaging 15.6 points, 6.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game so far this season. The Fever are just 2-9 on the year and are coming off a 104-68 loss to the New York Liberty on Sunday.

Although Clark is coming off a historic and sport-changing career at Iowa and has already broken numerous attendance records during her short time in the WNBA, Auriemma compared her to several other former NBA greats on Wednesday. When players like Michael Jordan or Larry Bird entered the league, he said, they were not as “targeted” as he believes Clark is.

“I don’t remember when Jordan came into the (NBA), guys wanted to go out and beat him up,” Auriemma said. “I don’t remember when Bird and Magic came into the league and elevated the NBA, they were targeted and beat up just because of who they were and the attention they got.”

“I appreciate the fact that now is the time (for the WNBA). I ​​understand that. It’s long overdue. Why are you blaming this kid? It’s not her fault because you would trade places with her in a heartbeat, but you’re not there. You’re not her. So (you complain) that she gets what she gets.”

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