There’s nothing but respect between the rookie and the vet.
Mercury star Diana Taurasi heaped praised on Caitlin Clark, the Fever’s No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA draft, after Indiana’s 88-82 win over Phoenix at Footprint Center on Sunday.
Taurasi, 42, explained that it’s evident 22-year-old Clark puts in a ton of work behind the scenes when asked about Clark’s impact on women’s basketball.
“It’s amazing what Caitlin’s been able to do in her short career so far,” Taurasi, who finished with 19 points, said in a postgame press conference. “It’s been nothing short of remarkable. The one thing that I really love about her, she loves the game. You can tell she’s put the work in.
“Even throughout her short WNBA career, it’s been a lot of pressure, a lot of things thrown at her, and she keeps showing up and keeps getting better every single game.
“So, her future is super bright, and being a veteran and being in this league for a long, long time, it is pretty cool to see that and go into the future.”
Taurasi, a 21-year veteran and three-time WNBA champ, went on to emphasize how impactful Clark has been for the Fever, who improved to 8-12.
“More importantly, she’s done a lot for the Indiana Fever. A team that for the last couple of years is trying to get back to their glory days of Tamika Catchings and putting up banners,” Taurasi said. “So, obviously, what she’s done for the game has been pretty incredible and (having) that momentum coming out of college, eyes on you for four years straight.
“I think what she’s doing for that team right now is pretty impressive. When I think of her, I think of what she’s done for that team.”
Clark and Taurasi were seen sharing a laugh while chatting on the court during the game.
Taurasi’s comments came after the five-time Olympic gold medalist faced pushback when she said that “reality was coming” for Clark — who was still playing for Iowa in the NCAA Tournament in April — when she entered the league.
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“Look, SVP, reality is coming,” Taurasi said of Clark and other star rookies in the 2024 draft class during an appearance on “SportsCenter” with Scott Van Pelt on April 6. “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 against 18-year-olds, but you’re going to (be playing against) some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.
“Not saying (Clark’s skills) are not gonna translate, because when you’re great at what you do, you’re just gonna get better. But there is gonna be a transition period where you’re gonna have to give yourself some grace as a rookie.”
The Fever’s social media account referenced those comments while shading Taurasi after the win, calling the triumph a “reality check.”
Clark was just one rebound short of a triple double in her first career matchup against Taurasi on Sunday — which was dubbed the “The GOAT” vs. “The Rook.”
She finished with 15 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds in front of a sellout crowd of 17,071 at Footprint Center.
The Gatorade athlete received a standing ovation from fans in Phoenix and signed autographs as she exited the court.
She skipped her postgame media availability due to a migraine, with Fever head coach Christie Sides saying Clark wasn’t feeling well the whole game and that she played through a migraine.
The Fever face the two-time reigning champion Aces in Las Vegas on Tuesday.