“Caitlin is the best player of all time” - Auriemma backtracks on Paige comments

The UCONN Huskies will face the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four this Friday and after the performance that Iowa guard Caitlin Clark put up against LSU, UCONN coach Geno Auriemma needed to clarify something.

Last year, LSU beat Iowa in the NCAA championship game in a heartbreaking loss for Clark. Despite her insistence that she wasn’t seeking revenge in the Elite Eight game where the two teams faced each other again, her 41-point performance to take the win says otherwise.

Auriemma, for his part, has consistently stated that he coaches “the best player in the country”, Paige Bueckers. Bueckers had a great game of her own against USC on Monday, putting up 28 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, plus three steals in their 80-73 win. Auriemma’s opinion, however, caused quite the commotion on social media, as many people consider Clark the best in America. Here’s what he had to say after that:

“I didn’t realize I was causing a stir. I bet if you asked USC, they wouldn’t say Caitlin is the best player in the country. I bet if you asked LSU, they wouldn’t say Caitlin is the best player in the country. I bet you Texas wouldn’t say that.”

Now, however, he’s backtracked. Interesting timing as his team will have to face Clark this Friday in Cleveland. Now, he’s just trying to make sure there’s no beef between them.

“I hope Caitlin Clark had a personal agenda against LSU. I know there’s nothing personal between me and her. I don’t need to be seeing her drop 50 on us next weekend,” Auriemma said before laughing with the reporters. “I love her. I think she’s the best player. Forget I ever said Paige is the best player in the country. I think (Caitlin’s) the best player of all time. I don’t know whoever said Paige is the best player.”

Nice save, Auriemma.