What started as a comment on ESPN’s SportsCenter has evolved into a budding rivalry between all-time WNBA great Diana Taurasi and rookie superstar Caitlin Clark.
“Yeah, it’ll be fun,” Taurasi said during media interviews after practice on June 26.
Taurasi, 42, has been known as the WNBA’s greatest of all time over her 20-year career, which includes three WNBA titles and five scoring titles. Clark, 22, developed a national following in college at Iowa where she became the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader. The Mercury’s game promotion of the two high-profile guards came about just two days after Taurasi’s comments about hyped WNBA newcomers, which includes Clark.
“Reality is coming. There’s levels to this thing and that’s just life. We all went through it,” Taurasi told SportsCenter host Scott Van Pelt on April 6. “You see it on the NBA side, and you’re going to see it on this side where you look superhuman playing against 18-year-olds, but you’re going to come with some grown women who have been playing professional basketball for a long time.
“Not saying that it’s not going to translate, because when you’re great at what you do, you’re just going to get better, but there is going to be a transition period where you’re going to have to give yourself some grace as a rookie. It might take a little bit longer for some people,” Taurasi added.
While Taurasi’s comments led to backlash on social media, it took a backseat to Clark going No. 1 in the WNBA Draft on April 15 followed by WNBA training camp in late April as Clark’s hype grew. Taurasi was then pressed to clarify her comments with the media during Mercury training camp on April 28.
“The new fans are really sensitive these days,” Taurasi told reporters. “You can’t say anything. It’s kind of like when you go to kindergarten to first grade, there’s a learning adjustment. When you go from high school to college, there’s a learning adjustment. I don’t think I said anything that’s factually incorrect. Like anything, greatness is going to translate. And she’s proven that at every level. I don’t see why that’s going to be any different in the WNBA.”
Taurasi looked correct on her assessment when Clark shot 5–15 from the field and turned the ball over 10 times in her WNBA regular season debut on May 14. Things have improved for Clark amid her 16.2 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game. She has a league-high 54 three-pointers made through Thursday, June 27.
The Fever have also been playing winning basketball of late with a 6–4 mark in their past 10 games. Indiana stumbled out of the gate with a 1–8 record.
Taurasi has been solid this season at 16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. The Mercury likewise have been solid amid a .500 start, which includes a recent 99–93 win over Eastern Conference frontrunner New York on June 18.
Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts expects a great atmosphere for the game against the Fever.
“The crowd Sunday will have a certain feel to it, but I’ve just been absolutely amazed by our crowds through the first eight games at home,” Tibbetts told reporters on June 26. “They'll be a different vibe on Sunday, but what the Phoenix people have done, come out and support us, has been absolutely amazing.”
