Geno Auriemma got real on what Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese bring to the WNBA
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky have brought significant attention to the WNBA. Some believe they have received unfair treatment from veteran players who may be jealous of the attention these young stars are getting, which they did not receive when they entered the league. UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma addressed this dynamic and discussed the best path forward for WNBA players.
“[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,” Geno Auriemma said, via @VanshayM on X. “If you’re some of those players, going back to your question, you can moan and groan about why weren’t they talking about me when I was here, well, or you can just appreciate what it is and take advantage of it now. But 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. At some point, all of them are going to have to be really, really good.”
“[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
In the recent past, Auriemma has stated that the expectations placed on Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are unfair, and that it should be expected they would face struggles. He pointed out that veteran WNBA players would not allow them to dominate as rookies, and noted that Clark, in particular, will need time to physically prepare for WNBA competition. Auriemma emphasized that there is no shame in this, as he would say the same for UConn star Paige Bueckers if she were to play in the WNBA right now.
Despite these challenges, Clark and Reese’s budding rivalry is beneficial for the league. The Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky have faced off three times so far, with Indiana winning the first two games. However, Chicago claimed victory in their third matchup this past Sunday, thanks to Reese’s best performance in the WNBA to date.
How are Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese faring in the WNBA?
So far in Clark’s WNBA career with the Fever, she is averaging 16.3 points per game with 5.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists, but is shooting 39.9 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from three. Clark undoubtedly will want to improve her efficiency throughout the season and her career as a whole. There is still time, and she has flashed the talent that made her the No. 1 pick.
With the Sky, Reese is averaging 13.2 points per game with a 11.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists. The rebounding number is particularly impressive, and is an aspect of her game that translated immediately from college. However, she is shooting 40.6 percent from the field, which is something she will want to improve on as well.
Both players have shown promise so far this season, but have areas to improve. Overall, both of them have been great for the league in terms of the attention they bring.