When asked about her first-time matchup against Caitlin Clark on Sunday, Diana Taurasi responded with a straightforward and concise four-word remark.
Throughout Clark’s entry into the WNBA, Taurasi had been outspoken about her belief that Clark was not yet prepared to dominate at the same level she did during her time at Iowa.
However, when questioned about their impending face-off, the Phoenix Mercury legend chose to be more elusive in her response. Taurasi briefly acknowledged the matchup, stating, ‘Yeah, it’ll be fun,’ before redirecting her attention to another question within the press gathering.
The game in Phoenix on Sunday showcases a clash between a WNBA trailblazer–Taurasi, who is 20 years older–and a highly anticipated player expected to become one of the league’s prominent stars in the coming decades–Clark, who currently plays for the Indiana Fever.
Before Caitlin Clark was drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever in April, Diana Taurasi had much more to say about the rookie star. On SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt, Taurasi remarked, “Reality is coming, there’s levels to this thing,” referring to Clark and South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso transitioning to the professional league.
Taurasi predicted a “transition period” for Clark in the WNBA, emphasizing that while greatness will translate, adjusting to playing against seasoned professionals would be challenging.
“You look superhuman playing against some 18-year-olds, but you’re going to come [play] with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time,” Taurasi said. She acknowledged Clark’s potential, noting, “When you’re great at what you do, you’re just gonna get better.”
Taurasi later reinforced her comments, labeling Clark’s fans as “sensitive” and stating, “You can’t say anything these days.” She compared the transition to progressing from kindergarten to first grade or from high school to college, underscoring the inevitable learning adjustments.
Despite the physical challenges Clark has faced in her WNBA career so far, Sunday’s matchup between the veteran Taurasi and the up-and-coming Clark will test who holds the advantage in this clash of generations.
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