Caitlin Clark calls Fever's game against Mercury's Diana Taurasi 'almost like a dream come true'

Diana Taurasi played her cards close to the vest before her first game against Caitlin Clark. But the Fever rookie phenom showed considerably more excitement about going up against the WNBA legend

Clark grew up idolizing the Mercury star and wants to be like her some day, the 22-year-old said ahead of Sunday's game. The two will face off for the first time at 3 p.m. ET Sunday in Indianapolis.

"Obviously, she's one of the greatest players our game has ever seen, greatest scorer our game has ever seen, so for me, I'm excited," Clark said, according to the Indianapolis Star . "It's fun. It's almost like a dream come true. You get to live out your dream while playing against the best, or one of the best there has ever been."

LIVE: Clark vs. Taurasi: Updates from Fever-Mercury showdown

Taurasi, 42, entered her 20th WNBA season as the league's all-time leading scorer. When asked Wednesday about the prospect of facing Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, she responded simply: "Yeah, it'll be fun."

Clark had nothing but praise for Taurasi, the No. 1 pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft, though she has made some critical comments toward the former Iowa star. Clark pointed to Taurasi's high level of play throughout her 20-year WNBA career. Taurasi is averaging 16.5 points per game in her age-42 season, just 2.5 points below her career average of 19.0 points per game.

"It's incredible. I don't think many people realize how hard that is to do," Clark said, per IndyStar. "Obviously, she's done everything that she's needed to do to continue playing at a high level. Taking care of her body, continuing to perform at the highest level.

"I think about it in my rookie year, it's incredible to think she's been in this league for 20 years. It's just super cool, a feat that not a lot of people will ever accomplish in their career."

The Fever have faced nearly every other team in the 12-team WNBA already this season. Following Sunday's game against the Mercury, the Wings and the Lynx will be the only remaining teams not to face the Fever so far in 2024.

MORE: History of beef between Diana Taurasi and Caitlin Clark

Yet while Clark has faced many of the top stars in the league, she has not yet received much advice from veteran players during games.

"Nobody gives me advice in games," Clark said Thursday after Indiana's defeat to the Storm. "I wish."

Taurasi has been one of the top contrarians when it comes to Clark's celebrity. A former UConn player herself, Taurasi said would build a team around current Huskies star Paige Bueckers rather than Clark, and she also noted UConn coach Geno Auriemma would never let Clark take logo 3-pointers during a game.

Prior to the national championship, Taurasi said Clark would face a wake-up call in the WNBA, noting: "Reality is coming."

When Taurasi was met with blowback for the comments, she responded: "New fans are really sensitive these days," then explained the typical adjustment period faced by players as they make leaps forward in their careers.

"When you go from high school to college, there’s a learning adjustment. I don’t think I said anything that’s factually incorrect," Taurasi said. "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 adjusted well to the WNBA so far, leading all rookies with 16.2 points and 6.6 assists per game, though she has had her share of struggles, already having three more single-digit scoring efforts in 19 games in 2024 (four) than in her entire four-year, 139-game collegiate career (one).