DiMauro: Conlon has become a deep and insightful young coach
ways taking a punch or setting a big screen. It’s the ability to put yourself in a situation above your own.
“I’ll use myself as an example. I was recruited by a ton of Division I programs and probably could have gone somewhere else and been more of a scorer and had an easy four years. Or I could go work my butt off for four years, struggle, and maybe win a national championship. It doesn’t get more uncomfortable than that.”
Conlon didn’t play in the transfer portal/NIL era. But she’s coaching in it. She sees how the portal and NIL have spawned a marriage between two hard-wired aspects of the human condition: the grass is always greener (portal) and show me the money (NIL).
The residual effect: When the going gets tough, the concept of toughness transfers somewhere else, usually where the money is.
“All these AAU programs and schools now promise they can get your kid a scholarship,” Conlon said. “They’re lying. The only person who can get your kid a college scholarship is your kid.
“These kids have so much access to so much stuff now. Shooting trainers. Dribble trainers. Mental trainers. Recovery stations. It’s nice they have access. But I just wonder. Even the kids who have a ton of skill, can they apply that in the game? They struggle because of instant gratification. Post something to social media and get 500 likes in an hour. In my day, it was pick up basketball against the boys. Toughness was the only option I had.”
Stand back, folks. She’s rolling.
“Candace Parker, Cheryl Miller. Diana. Others. Their blood, sweat and tears came before the transfer portal and NIL. It’s why I appreciate players from the past more than the present,” Conlon said. “That’s no hit on anyone. Caitlin Clark is special. She’s a cult phenom. I just worry about this generation. It feels like since COVID, instant gratification is worse. Clark has a million NIL deals. Is she an actual student? Or running to commercial takes? Where is that separator?”
Conlon, who sounds very much like her old coach sometimes, sought counsel from Auriemma in the summer.
“I hate to use the term ‘old school,’” Conlon said. “But when Geno and I were talking, he said, ‘How do I coach in an environment where they think I owe them everything and they owe me nothing?’ That one really hit me. He’s so right. We need to have more conversations about that. You work for something and then you get it.”
Conlon isn’t merely proud of what she accomplished at UConn, helping hang banners. She’s also part of the pioneers on whose foundation the game keeps growing. It’s just that Conlon would prefer the kids of today actually absorb how it all happened.
“The ones I love to coach and can win with are the ones who are tough,” Conlon said. “Hire as many trainers as you want. But the amount of mental toughness you need in order to survive is crazy.”