Geno Auriemma once said, “If Caitlin really wanted to come to UConn, she would have called me.” But what if she didn’t need to — and Geno had already made up his mind? In 2020, with Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink headlining one of the most stacked recruiting classes ever, Geno had his pick of future stars. But according to one insider, he watched Clark play, got up mid-game… and walked out — only to sign Bueckers days later. Now in 2025, Clark is the face of the WNBA, shattering records and packing arenas. So what really happened that day? A recruiting misfire? A gut call? Or the biggest “what if” in women’s basketball history? And why are we revisiting this five years later, when the story’s already been dissected to death?

Well, that’s because people are giving the story a fresh twist. After Clark’s recent game against the Sky and her hard foul on Angel Reese, posts have resurfaced on X highlighting her fierce competitiveness, and folks are wondering if maybe that’s exactly why Geno passed on her. Well, Clark’s own brother, Colin, once revealed via Holly Rowe just how intense she can get: “There was a loose ball, and she shoved me into a corner of a basement wall, split my head open, got four staples.” That sparked a chain reaction of tweets speculating that maybe Caitlin’s fiery passion was too much for Geno’s calm, calculated style.

One viral tweet even shared a clip from Trent Condon, who covered Clark back in the day. He recounted how Geno showed up to watch her play but left at halftime, saying, “I’m not watching this s– anymore,” frustrated by Caitlin’s visible struggles and mounting frustration on the court.

Trent added, “She was turning the ball over, getting demonstrative and frustrated with teammates — stuff we’d see plenty of in her high school games.”

Now, the speculation on X is that maybe Clark’s fierce passion was too much for Geno to handle. But why drag up something Geno already shut down in 2024? Yes, he shut it down. When? Ahead of the 2024 Final Four clash, Geno told Reuters, “I committed to Paige Bueckers very, very early… it would have been silly to recruit Caitlin Clark after that. I don’t do it that way.”

So why is this “Geno snub” suddenly back in the headlines? Well, that’s just how the internet works — it never forgets. Even the smallest crack, stain, or past controversy will resurface whenever a high-profile athlete like Clark makes the headlines.

Caitlin Clark’s big night overshadowed by viral fan noise controversy

And well, she and the Fever did that just a few days ago when they dismantled the Chicago Sky 93-58. Caitlin Clark dropped a triple-double like it was casual Tuesday, but the scoreboard wasn’t the only thing making noise that night. What really hijacked the headlines? A swirl of controversy started echoing beyond the buzzer.

During a technical free throw by Angel Reese, a high-pitched sound caught on ESPN’s broadcast sparked speculation that fans were making monkey noises—an allegation that quickly ignited social media outrage. Some even claimed it was targeted hate. But hold up—was it really that sinister?

Rachel DeMita, stepping in with some much-needed context, pointed out the sound was actually from a YouTuber dolphin laugh—a goofy audio clip the Fever DJ plays regularly. “Somebody on Twitter (X) said they were there and heard monkey noises. That’s just not true,” DeMita clarified. But in a world where perception travels faster than fact, it didn’t matter.

What started as a dominant win for the Fever turned into a PR wildfire. And the irony? We’ve got four more games between Reese and Clark this season. Buckle up for more shade and more smoke. Clark, meanwhile, stayed composed. “There’s no place for that in our game… or society,” she said, calling for respect across the board. The Fever front office echoed that, with CEO Mel Raines stating they’re working with the WNBA to investigate the claims. But not everyone’s buying the outrage. Barstool’s Dave Portnoy called the reaction “a joke,” claiming it unfairly demonized Fever fans. “They won’t be happy till they kill the golden goose,” he posted.

The basketball was elite, the drama was Olympic-level—and somehow, the internet found a way to dunk harder than either team.