Caitlin Clark just sung Diana Taurasi’s praises following months of discourse surrounding WNBA vets and newcomers.
Phoenix Mercury player Diana Taurasi—a six-time Olympian with 20 years of experience in the league—faced backlash over her controversial warning that “reality is coming” for incoming novices ahead of this year’s WNBA season.
“There’s levels to this thing. And that’s just reality, we all went through it,” the 41-year-old told SportsCenter’s Scott Van Pelt in April. “You see it on the NBA side, and you’re going to see it on this side. You appear superhuman playing against 18-year-olds, but you’re going to come with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.”
Some fans of Clark have been harboring a grudge against the vet ever since, though it doesn’t appear that Taurasi or Clark feel any animosity towards one another. On June 26, Taurasi told Desert Wave that “it’ll be fun” to play Clark in the Mercury’s first game against the Fever of the year on June 30.
Meanwhile, Clark said she’s “excited” for the game during her own interview with Desert Wave on June 29. “That’s just someone I grew up idolizing and looking up to and wanting to be like one day,” Clark said. “Obviously she’s one of the greatest players our game has ever seen, great scorer our game has ever seen. So for me, I’m excited, like, that’s enjoyable. Kind of like a fantasy, for sure. Like, we get to live out your ambition while playing against the best, one of the best there ever has been, so it’s fun.”
This interview occurs just a few days after the Indiana Fever’s tough loss against the Seattle Storm. During a post-game press conference on June 26, Clark was told that she doesn’t appear to be “having a lot of fun,” to which she pointed out that “nobody enjoys losing.”
Per one video making the rounds on TikTok, Clark continued, “We’re not going to be walking around the court like smiling when when you’re down 15 points. So being able to find that competitive edge at the same time as staying positive is a hard thing at times, but I believe we can definitely do a little bit better and continue to just motivate one another. Because, you know, sometimes it’s you’re gonna have excellent games, you’re gonna have bad games. But, you know, it’s a team sport, you got to find a way to lean on your teammates and remain connected.”
While that’s a completely understandable outlook, a different quote from Clark’s interview left many fans “heartbroken” for the NCAA’s leading scorer. In another video making the rounds on X.com, Clark was asked about the greatest advice she’s received from WNBA vets “in-game,” seeming to refer to exchanges with opposing team players on the court.
“Nobody gives me advice in game,” Clark responded, per one viral clip. “I wish.”
This quote profoundly upset Clark’s fanbase amid online debates over WNBA vets’ lack of support for this year’s rookie class—a narrative that has been shut down by Clark and fellow star rookie Angel Reese in recent past. “You can hear the pain in Caitlin Clark’s voice,” one fan account posted on X.com, while one of many TikTok users wrote, “This broke my heart. CC deserves so much affection and happiness.”
Others have suggested that Clark should reach out to vets herself. “Vets don’t reach out to rookies rookies are supposed to reach out to vets,” one TikTok user commented on the clip. “Caitlin gotta break out of her shell if she wants some advice.”
Perhaps Clark will have an opportunity to grab some advice from Taurasi during or after today’s game. You can witness the highly-anticipated matchup at 3 pm EST/12 pm PST on ESPN and ESPN+ on June 30.
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