Caitlin Clark makes Diana Taurasi admit terrible prediction of WNBA superstar

During last preseason, Diana Taurasi had claimed that Caitlin Clark would struggle in her rookie WNBA season.

Caitlin Clark makes Diana Taurasi admit terrible prediction of WNBA superstar

Caitlin Clark and Diana Taurasi

Before Caitlin Clark left college, one of her earlier detractors was Diana Taurasi. The then Phoenix Mercury star predicted it would be a tough task adjusting to the grown-up fast and physical game that plays out in the WNBA.

Clark’s initial performances might have vindicated that logic considering Taurasi had seen a lot of rookies come into the professional league and struggle. But once the rookie started to understand how to play around that physicality, her performances started to improve.

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After the Olympics break, the Indiana Fever superstar was leading her team to a string of wins. Eventually, they reached the playoffs, and the rookie became an All-WNBA 1st teamer. Now when Clark and Taurasi met again, the Fever star congratulated the Mercury great on her retirement. To this Taurasi said.

Thank you. Unfortunately, reality is coming to me now.

Diana Taurasi said

This acknowledgement sent The Bird and Taurasi Show co-host Sue Bird into splits. She knows all too well how her former UConn teammate’s comment from one season ago sent the sporting world into a spiral. Fans slammed Diana Taurasi for that comment not knowing the legend was not hating on Clark.

She was rather speaking about the reality of the league, where rookies take time to adjust. But she did not expect the Iowa Hawkeye to read the game and adjust her game. That and Caitlin Clark’s sheer competitiveness helped her become one of the best players in the league. That is the reality that Taurasi has learnt to live with.

Caitlin Clark and Diana Taurasi troll each other on technical fouls

Diana Taurasi is not one to back down from a trash-talking matchup. Neither is Caitlin Clark, who as a rookie did not hold back when the veteran came at her during a game. Since they also respect each other quite a lot, the Indiana Fever star thought of trolling the legend.

Clark prodded Taurasi to recollect that the referees awarded her six technical fouls last season. Then Taurasi recollected that Clark also had six technical fouls. The Fever star explained that a few of those were not right but Taurasi then asked Sue Bird whether she was going to take the over or under on Clark getting more than four calls this season.

Both the former WNBA greats responded that they would take the over. But Caitlin Clark told them that she promised her new head coach Stephanie White that she would not go over two. Bird and Taurasi scoffed at it, knowing how Clark tends to operate.

They know the Fever star established herself as one of the better trash talkers in the league. If she continues on that path, she will be easily getting more than four technical fouls. But the 23-year-old believes she can hold it down.

Diana Taurasi asks Caitlin Clark’s hopes for next season

Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird were watching the NCAA championship game while speaking with Caitlin Clark. Knowing how Clark’s Indiana Fever have retooled this offseason, Taurasi asked her what she thinks of her championship caliber roster.

Obviously on paper we have a really good team. We have a very short amount of time to put that together. Seven new pieces, that’s more than half of our roster. That’s a hard thing within itself. But we should be pretty good.

Caitlin Clark said

The WNBA Rookie of the Year did say that she expects her head coach Stephanie White to help the team mesh fast. Considering they do not have much time until their first preseason games, they have to hit the ground running as soon as possible.

Clark knows all too well how chemistry issues can lead to losses. Therefore, the sooner they start working together, the faster they can start winning games. They have to finish in the top four of the standings to get a favorable playoff run to set up a championship run.