Who is Caitlin Clark? Fever has the last laugh against Diana Taurasi, Mercury
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Phoenix Mercury head coaches Paul Westhead, Corey Gaines and Sandy Brondello each won a WNBA championship while building a dynasty in the desert.
“Who is Caitlin? I’m here about Taurasi.”
The Phoenix Mercury poked fun at Caitlin Clark with a TikTok video before her team’s game against the Indiana Fever on Friday. A young fan said those words and then showed clips of Diana Taurasi making some spectacular shots on the court.
But Clark had the last laugh at Taurasi and the Mercury.
The Fever beat the Mercury 98-89 in Indianapolis. Clark scored 29 points on 8 of 16 shooting. She had 10 assists and five rebounds.
With this win, the Fever completed the 3-game sweep against the Mercury in the regular season.
Indiana also beat Phoenix 95-86 on July 12 and 88-82 on June 30.
More: Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever prevent Phoenix Mercury from making a comeback
Caitlin Clark-Diana Taurasi beef with Indiana Fever, Phoenix Mercury
The Mercury’s “Who is Caitlin?” video isn’t the only time the team may have provided Clark and the Fever with bulletin board material.
In an interview with Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter on April 6, Taurasi said of Clark: “Look, SVP, reality is coming. There are different levels to this thing. And that’s life. We’ve all been through it. You see it on the NBA side and you’ll see it on this side. You seem superhuman when you’re playing against 18-year-olds, but you’re going to be playing against grown women who have been playing basketball professionally for a long time.”
Taurasi continued, “I’m not saying (Clark’s skills) don’t translate, because when you’re good at what you do, you just get better. But there’s going to be a transition period where you have to take your time as a rookie.”
Shortly afterward, Taurasi seemed to reiterate her comments, saying that Clark fans were “sensitive.”
“The new fans these days are very sensitive and you can’t say anything,” Taurasi said. “It’s like going from kindergarten to first grade and going through a learning adjustment, or going from high school to college. I don’t think I said anything that wasn’t factually correct. Like anything else, greatness will carry over and she’s proven that at every level and I don’t see that being any different in the WNBA.”
More: Mercury defeats Chicago Sky in first game back at Footprint Center
Social media reacted to Diana Taurasi’s “reality is coming” comments about Caitlin after Friday’s Fever-Mercury game:
On social media, we remembered Taurasi’s comments about Clark after the Fever swept the Mercury in their regular season series on Friday.
More: How three former Phoenix Mercury coaches built a WNBA dynasty
Special moment between Caitlin Clark and Diana Taurasi in the Fever vs Mercury game on Friday:
Towards the end of the Fever’s victory over the Mercury on Friday, Taurasi walked up to Clark and put her arm around him as the Mercury attempted a free throw, creating a special moment on the court.
Could this be the last time the two face each other in their careers?
The Mercury and Fever are not scheduled to play another game in the regular season, and would likely need some upsets in the postseason for them to face each other in the WNBA playoffs (if they both make the postseason).
This could also be Taurasi’s last year in the WNBA (she is 42).
Even though it was the last time they faced each other on the court, Clark and the Fever had the last laugh at Taurasi and the Mercury.
Everyone should now know who Caitlin Clark is.
More about Diana Taurasi, Caitlin Clark and the rivalry between Mercury and Fever:
What did Diana Taurasi say about Caitlin Clark and was it really controversial?
Did Diana Taurasi steal Caitlin Clark’s place in the 2024 Olympic squad? Social media criticism
Caitlin Clark fans tease Diana Taurasi for not scoring a point in the US national team’s win over Belgium
Mercury star Diana Taurasi responds to criticism of Caitlin Clark’s comments
Caitlin Clark and Diana Taurasi end feud in Mercury loss to Fever
Reach Jeremy Cluff at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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