Transitioning from college basketball to the professional court is never easy, and Caitlin Clark knows this better than anyone. The Indiana Fever star endured difficult weeks upon arrival in the WNBA, and no one made the adjustment harsher than her idol, Diana Taurasi.
Clark arrived at the “W” after a stellar career with the Iowa Hawkeyes in the NCAA. The Indiana Fever made Clark the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, but this earned her the enmity of some veteran players, who quickly let the rookie know she was treading on their turf.
Despite all the obstacles, Clark had a historic season, earning the Rookie of the Year honors and the respect of her peers. However, the Fever’s star guard still hasn’t forgotten her first encounter with Taurasi and the veteran’s rude welcome.
The clash between Clark and Taurasi
In an interview for the Netflix show “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman,” Clark recalled her early days in the WNBA, saying one had really talked trash to her until she ran into Taurasi at a game on June 30.
“No one really talks trash to me, honestly. I see to it, maybe that’ll happen next year,” Clark asserted. However, she did throw the Phoenix Mercury guard under the bus, saying, “Somebody that did trash talk was Diana Taurasi, but all in good fun. We were playing them at home, and she fouled me, pretty hard.”
After the foul, Clark complained to the referee that the hit had been “intentional,” while Taurasi clapped her back challenging her to “do it again.” Despite everything, the Fever won that game 88-82, with 15 points, nine rebounds, and 12 assists from Clark.
There’s no bad blood between Caitlin and Diana
After the tough in-game exchange, Clark and Taurasi hugged, expressing their admiration for each other. Furthermore, Caitlin was recently a guest on Diana’s podcast, “The Bird & Taurasi Show,” where the two women smoothed things over, and the Rookie of the Year congratulated the GOAT on her recent retirement.
Entering her second year as a professional, Clark must prove that her accomplishments in 2024 were no fluke. Taking the Fever to the postseason will no longer be enough, as the media and fans will expect more than individual accomplishments from the rising star, and a deep playoff run is the least they expect from her now.
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