A’ja Wilson’s friend, Michael McManus, tore into UConn Huskies boss Geno Auriemma following his team’s loss to the USC Gamecocks on Friday. The influencer targeted Auriemma after his sideline clash with Dawn Staley during their Final Four matchup.

McManus offered his candid views on Auriemma on X (formerly Twitter), while likening him to Donald Trump.

“Geno does that whining and bullying just like Trump,” McManus wrote. “‘She’s calling those refs names you wouldn’t believe.’ Same dude that told his players to walk in the Atlantic Ocean.”

The criticism stemmed from Auriemma’s on-court altercation with Dawn Staley following his team’s 62–48 loss. The UConn head coach appeared to exchange words with Staley during the postgame handshake, something she did not take kindly.

This led to a verbal confrontation between the two coaches, who ultimately had to be separated by their respective assistant coaches and game officials.

The postgame spat reflected the intensity of the matchup. A rematch of last year’s final, the contest carried added edge from the start. The first quarter ended level at 15-15, while UConn took a narrow two-point lead into halftime.

However, the Huskies failed to respond in the second half, as the Gamecocks took control by outscoring them in the third and fourth quarters to exact revenge for last year’s loss.

South Carolina will now advance to the final under Staley, aiming to secure its third title in four years. They will face the winner of the matchup between the UCLA Bruins and the Texas Longhorns on Sunday in Phoenix.

Dawn Staley reflects on her post-game spat with Geno Auriemma

Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma remain two of the most decorated coaches in college basketball and renewed their rivalry during the Final Four on Friday. While the duo holds each other in high regard, tempers flared as they engaged in a heated exchange during their postgame handshake.

After the game, Staley reflected on the incident, offering her candid perspective.

“I have no idea, but I’m gonna let you know this. I’m of integrity,” Staley said. “If I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did … I don’t know what he came with after the game, but hey, sometimes things get heated. We move on.”

Auriemma offered a similar response when asked about the exchange in his press conference, stating that he had already “said” what he needed to during the altercation.