Basketball legend Candace Parker takes aim at Geno Auriemma after Dawn Staley confrontation

Former WNBA prima Candace Parker had nary empathy for UConn Huskies women’s hoops coach Geno Auriemma aft he erupted astatine South Carolina’s Dawn Staley connected Friday night.

Auriemma was upset pinch Staley failing to meet him for a customary pregame handshake earlier their Final Four crippled tipped off. His frustrations pinch Staley led to him confronting her astatine halfcourt erstwhile nan crippled was over. Staley yelled backmost astatine Auriemma arsenic coaches and different unit members sewage successful betwixt nan two.

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Candace Parker, a personnel of nan Amazon Prime NBA broadcast team, stands courtside astatine Intuit Dome successful Inglewood, Calif., during nan crippled betwixt nan Los Angeles Clippers and nan Los Angeles Lakers connected Jan. 22, 2026. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)

Parker, who was elected to nan Basketball Hall of Fame this week, said astir nan incident connected Saturday night.

"In time, you spot people's colors complete and complete again," she said. "And location tin beryllium a separation of clip pinch that, but nan colors ever travel to light. I deliberation colors were shown yesterday connected some sides, right? However you want to return that."

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South Carolina caput coach Dawn Staley and UConn caput coach Geno Auriemma reason aft a women's NCAA assemblage hoops tourney semifinal crippled astatine nan Final Four successful Phoenix connected April 3, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

Auriemma issued an apology for his outburst.

"There’s nary excuse for really I handled nan extremity of nan crippled vs. South Carolina. It’s dissimilar what I do and what our modular is present astatine Connecticut," nan Hall of Fame coach said successful a connection connected Saturday. "I want to apologize to nan unit and nan squad astatine South Carolina. It was uncalled for successful really I reacted. The communicative should beryllium really good South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a awesome narration pinch their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them."

Staley sidestepped a question astir nan interaction, saying she was focused connected South Carolina’s nationalist title crippled against nan UCLA Bruins.

NBA connected Prime expert Candace Parker is courtside during nan crippled betwixt nan Minnesota Timberwolves and nan Los Angeles Lakers astatine Crypto.com Arena successful Los Angeles, Calif., connected Oct. 24, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

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"For me, nary distractions astatine this time. I'm concentrating connected winning a nationalist championship, that’s it," Staley said. "That’s a small disheartening. This is sports, sometimes things for illustration this happen. Continue to attraction connected my squad and expertise to beforehand successful this tourney and hopefully triumph different nationalist championship."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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