Caitlin Clark and Diana Taurasi hug before the start of the Fever-Mercury game
Caitlin Clark and Diana Taurasi hug before the start of the Fever-Mercury game. Taurasi made critical comments about Clark in April.
Craig Meyer
June 30, 2024 10:23 PM
Caitlin Clark has become a strange target of criticism for her maturity and the sophistication with which she handles her enormous fame, yet the Indiana Fever rookie is one of the most breathlessly discussed and polarizing athletes in the entire American sports world.
Her transition from a record-setting collegiate career at the University of Iowa to the WNBA inevitably includes criticism in the constant rumors, and some current WNBA players occasionally appear as her foils.
This weekend, she’ll face one of those people, and the matchup kicked off with a friendly exchange.
Must Read: LIVE: Caitlin Clark Closes in on Victory As the Indiana Fever took on the Phoenix Mercury, Clark shook hands with Mercury star Diana Taurasi and shared a quick hug, a symbolic meeting between a longtime WNBA face and an up-and-coming player. Clark also shared a hug and a few words with Phoenix center Brittney Griner, a nine-time WNBA All-Star, two-time WNBA scoring champion and two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. Taurasi made headlines in April when she appeared on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” after Clark and Iowa beat Taurasi’s alma mater, the University of Connecticut, in the Final Four. When asked by host Scott Van Pelt what Clark would experience if she made the WNBA, Taurasi delivered what could be interpreted as a stern message to the two-time national college player of the year. “SVP, reality is setting in,” Taurasi said. “There’s levels to this, and that’s life. We’ve all been through it. You see it on the NBA side, you see it on this side, playing like superhumans against 18-year-olds, but you’re playing with grown women who’ve been playing professional basketball for years.”
“I’m not saying it won’t work. When you’re great at what you do, you just get better and better, but there’s going to be a transition period as a rookie where you have to give yourself leeway. It might take a little longer for some people.”
Taurasi’s words weren’t particularly controversial. Any rookie in professional sports goes through growing pains. And considering Clark’s early struggles after transferring to Indiana, Taurasi’s assessment may have been correct.
Must read: Kaitlyn Clark grew up idolizing Diana Taurasi. Playing against her is “like a dream come true.”
Still, the 10-time WNBA First Team selection was one of several voices deemed critical of Clark, who entered the league as perhaps the most promising rookie in the league’s history.
The Fever-Mercuries game was unusually contentious, with five technical fouls between the two teams in the first half, none of which involved Clark or Taurasi. In fact, the two were spotted having a conversation during the game.
For Clark, the opportunity to play against Taurasi for the first time is a dream come true in a burgeoning career that’s already packed with so many dreams.
“She’s someone I’ve looked up to and respected since I was a kid and wanted to be like one day,” said Clark, who will be playing against the Mercury. “Obviously, she’s one of the best players in the history of our sport and she’s the best scorer. So, I’m excited. It’s fun. It’s like a dream come true, living out my dream while playing against one of the best players, maybe the best player of all time.”