Brittney Griner in NBA is ‘ludicrous,’ says UConn’s Geno Auriemma

Geno Auriemma, who has guided Connecticut to seven NCAA women’s basketball titles, doesn’t think much of Mark Cuban’s acknowledgment that he’s already given consideration to using a second-round draft pick on Baylor star Brittney Griner.

The UConn coach, who has sent two dozen players into the WNBA, called the idea “ludicrous.”

Auriemma, who has a record of 833-133 at UConn, was both complimentary and critical of the Dallas Mavericks owner.

“Mark Cuban is a genius. He’s done an awful lot for basketball. But his genius would take a huge hit if he drafted her,” Auriemma said of selecting Griner, who at 6-foot-8 dominates on the college level but would be the size of a small forward in the NBA. “It would be a public relations thing, a sham. To think a woman could compete to the level of [NBA players] is ludicrous.”

Griner, who averaged 23.8 points and 9.4 rebounds this season, led Baylor to the NCAA title last year. The Bears fell short of the Final Four this season when they were upset by Louisville, 82-81, in a regional semifinal Sunday.

Cuban sent shockwaves through the basketball world with his comments about drafting Griner.

“If she is the best on the board, I will take her,” Cuban said Tuesday. “I’ve thought about it. I’ve thought about it already. Would I do it? Right now, I’d lean toward yes, just to see if she can do it. You never know unless you give somebody a chance, and it’s not like the likelihood of any late-50s draft pick has a good chance of making it.”

Upon hearing about Cuban’s comments, Griner sent out this message via Twitter: “I could hold my own. Let’s do it.”

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