Diana Taurasi has had beef with Caitlin Clark even before the rookie's drafting into the WNBA. It doesn't look like the WNBA legend has any intentions of putting that to rest.
The Mercury and Fever will face off on Sunday, pitting the future Basketball Hall of Famer against the sensational rookie for the first time. Nearly any time Clark has played in a game, it has resulted in a surge of attention on the matchup. Is Taurasi looking forward to playing the WNBA's latest star?
"Yeah, it'll be fun," Taurasi said.
This was Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi’s response when asked about facing Caitlin Clark for the first time on Sunday. #WNBA #ValleyTogether pic.twitter.com/6PbiSe8BRY
— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) June 26, 2024
That was it. End of story. Question answered. On to the next.
MORE: History of beef between Diana Taurasi and Caitlin Clark
Caitlin Clark vs. Diana Taurasi 'beef'
Since the start of Clark's senior year, Taurasi hasn't been shy about being among Clark's leading contrarians. In Iowa's Final Four matchup against UConn, Taurasi, a former Husky, said she would take UConn's Paige Bueckers over Clark in the draft with a short answer: "I'm taking Paige. Next question." She also said UConn coach Geno Auriemma would never let Clark take logo 3-pointers during a game.
Before Iowa faced South Carolina in the national championship, Taurasi said on ESPN that "reality is coming" when Clark reaches the WNBA.
"There's levels to this thing. And that's just life. We all went through it. You see it on the NBA side and you're going to see it on this side. You look superhuman playing 18-year-olds, but you're going to come with some grown women who've been playing professional basketball for a long time," Taurasi said.
When Taurasi was met with backlash for her comments about Clark's potential adjustment struggles to the WNBA, she said that "new fans are really sensitive these days," before adding, "you can't say anything."
MORE: Magic Johnson has legendary praise for Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese
She then went on to explain there is always an adjustment for moving on to the next level of anything.
"It’s kind of like when you go from kindergarten [to] first grade, there’s a learning adjustment," Taurasi said. "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 in every level. And I don’t see it being any different in the WNBA."
Clark has never responded to Taurasi's comments.
Caitlin Clark vs. Diana Taurasi stats
Taurasi has been in the WNBA for 20 years and has seen plenty of star players come and go. There have not been any players that have drawn quite the attention that Clark has brought to the league, but Clark also is not exactly off to a unique start for a rookie.
Though the Fever guard has played well, her numbers are not altogether different from those of the first year for Taurasi, who won Rookie of the Year in 2004.
| Caitlin Clark | Stat (per game) | Diana Taurasi |
| 16.3 | Points | 17.0 |
| 6.6 | Assists | 3.9 |
| 5.4 | Rebounds | 4.4 |
| 0.9 | Blocks | 0.7 |
| 1.5 | Steals | 1.3 |
| 2.8 | 3-pointers made | 1.8 |
| 8.1 | 3-point attempts | 5.5 |
| 39.9% | FG% | 41.6% |
| 35.2% | 3P% | 33.0% |
Taurasi was a slightly better overall scorer, but Clark has certainly put together a well-rounded season across the board, though the differences are still hardly stark. To this point, Taurasi's point about difficulties adjusting to the league has certainly been accurate, as Clark has already had more games with single-digit points in 18 games in the WNBA (four) than her entire four-year, 139-game collegiate career (one).
