In Apr. 2019, UConn Huskies women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma said coaching has come under intense scrutiny over the last few years. With so much media attention these days, it has become difficult for coaches to give an earful to the players when they are not doing well on the court.
Over six years ago, Auriemma said coaches are afraid to have a meaningful conversation with players without finding themselves on the wrong side of fans and media.
“The majority of coaches in America are afraid of their players,” Auriemma said (via Coach & A.D.). “The NCAA, the athletic directors, and society have made them afraid of their players. Every article you read: ‘This guy’s a bully. This woman’s a bully. This guy went over the line. This woman was inappropriate.’”
“Yet the players get off scot-free in everything. They can do whatever they want. They don’t like something you say to them, they transfer. Coaches, they have to coach with one hand behind their backs. Why? Because some people have abused the role of a coach,” he added.
To support the point he was making, Auriemma recalled the heated sideline conversation between Michigan State Spartans men’s coach Tom Izzo and then-freshman forward Aaron Henry during a first-round game against the Bradley Braves in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. The incident sparked national discussion about coaching behavior and player treatment.
However, Auriemma suggested that coaches should not pay heed to what the media and fans say but rather what players on their team think.
“People gave Tom Izzo a lot of grief for something he did on the sideline,” Auriemma said. “His players loved that. He doesn’t have to care what you think of it. He just has to care what his players think of it. If his players all transferred, if his players all quit on him, then he went over the line. If his players play hard for him, keep winning, love him, keep coming back to the program, that’s passion.”
What Unfolded Between Tom Izzo and Aaron Henry, Which Geno Auriemma Referenced?
After a heated sideline confrontation between Tom Izzo and Aaron Henry in the 2019 NCAA Tournament game, the Michigan State coach came under heavy criticism from fans and the media. Izzo was only giving Henry a piece of his mind for his lack of intent on defense.
Addressing the confrontation at the time, Izzo said (via Bleacher Report):
“What’s wrong with challenging a kid that makes some mistakes? Aaron Henry did some things that you can’t do as a starter on a top-5 team at the end of your freshman year. They were effort-related. I did get after him. He did respond. He did make a couple of big buckets. He did make some big free throws, but that’s not good enough. It’s one-and-done time. The ‘my-bads’ are out the window.”
Amid criticism, the Michigan State Spartans coach had received support from Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green.
So, Young Fella keep standing up for yourself and don’t back down. And Iz keep leading the program! We on a mission.
— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) March 22, 2019
Moreover, even Henry understood that Izzo was only looking after his and the team’s best interests in that conversation.
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