UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma is the latest to opine some strong words regarding Caitlin Clark's treatment in the WNBA, and Sports Illustrated's Grant Young has shared that sentiment.

During a July 6 appearance on the "Sports Media with Richard Deitsch" podcast, Auriemma said, "I do think there are some personal animosities in that league where people are going to take a shot at [Clark] unfairly. No question about that."

This statement comes after the nationwide controversy when Phoenix Mercury's Alyssa Thomas was suspended after putting her hand on Clark's throat as the two battled for a loose ball. Young was in agreement with Auriemma's words and revealed his thoughts on Clark.

"I agreed with a lot of what Geno Auriemma said about Caitlin Clark in that podcast. But if CC didn’t create the hype or the resentment surrounding her, I don’t think she should be expected to bear the consequences of it." Young wrote on X.

It has always been interesting to hear Auriemma talk about Clark, as he has previously received criticism for believing that the Indiana Fever star is not capable of handling the WNBA's physicality.

However, those comments were more in the context of her physical stature rather than the psychological factors in why players might want to be physical with her.

"Anybody can deny it all they want. Because if I’m wrong, then there will be a lot more people coming to her defense, and they’re not. And neither am I, because I don’t coach in the league and I don’t play in the league." Auriemma said.

"But, yes, it shouldn’t be a national referendum, and yes, there are players in that league that would love to kick her a** every minute of every day," Auriemma added.

Auriemma might have gotten the answer here, as there is proof that Clark's peers are not the biggest fans of hers.

Caitlin Clark Ranked 11th Best Guard by Players in the WNBA All-Star Voting

While Caitlin Clark is featured in the All-Star lineup for the July 25 game in Chicago, one of the biggest takeaways from the voting process will be that Clark was the 11th most voted-for guard when it comes to the WNBA player vote.

The All-Star starters are decided based on 50% fan votes, with media and the players taking the other quarter of the votes.

The fans voted Clark as the second-best guard in the league behind Paige Bueckers, while the media voted her third behind the Wings star and Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles.

However, the players voted Clark outside the top 10, at the eleventh (!) spot. This is not the first time her peers have not seen her at the level the fans and media put her in, as she was voted ninth last year.

While Clark initially suffered from a poor assist/turnover ratio alongside recurrent back issues, she does not deserve to be ranked so low.

Clark currently has the best combined points and assists per game averages in WNBA history, is fourth in the league in points per game (21.2), and second in the league in assists per game (8.2).

Ultimately, Clark was named a starter after all, but this still paints an interesting picture of how she's perceived by her peers, be it for one reason or another.

So, what do you think is the main reason Caitlin Clark was ranked so low by her peers? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy