"What Caitlin's been able to do in her short career so far has been nothing short of remarkable" - Taurasi showers Clark with praise

Much was made of the WNBA match-up between the formidable Phoenix Mercury and the up-and-coming Indiana Fever. It was, after all, the first on-court match-up between WNBA legend Diana Taurasi and the Fever's rookie sensation Caitlin Clark , especially after the former's comments regarding the latter's transition from the NCAA, where she was an undisputed superstar, to the WNBA, where she's pitted against veteran women hoopers.

However, when the dust settled on the Fever's incredible comeback from a 15-point deficit to defeat the Mercury, 88-82, Taurasi had nothing but praise and respect for the former Iowa ace, calling what she's done so far in her brief pro career "remarkable."

Nothing but love among competitors and peers

Despite feeling off all game long, Clark finished with a near triple-double of 15 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds. Her shot was visibly off, as she went 4-for-14 from the field, including an airball that came after she sent her defender sprawling to the ground with a gorgeous crossover. However, she made a couple of free throws that put Indiana up by three with only 19 seconds left in the game.

After witnessing Caitlin's performance, the 20-year WNBA veteran was not just impressed, but also inspired by the young star's resilience amidst all the pressure and her unwavering commitment to becoming a better player.

"It's amazing. What Caitlin's been able to do in her short career so far has been nothing short of remarkable," the 2009 WNBA MVP said in the postgame presser.

"The one thing that I really love about her, 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 she keeps getting better every single game," the 42-year-old added.

Taurasi, who was still a student at UConn when Caitlin was born, finished the game with 19 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

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Comments taken out of context

Taurasi, a 10-time WNBA All-Star, caused a media firestorm in April when she said "reality is coming" for the 22-year-old deadeye shooter when she enters the WNBA. Speaking to Scott Van Pelt on Sportscenter, Diana shared that there would be a transition period wherein most rookies, even the highly-touted ones, would go through.

"You look superhuman playing against 18-year-olds, but you're going to come with some grown women who have been playing professional basketball for a long time," Diana said . "Not saying that's 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."

Despite the controversy, Taurasi expressed her excitement over what Caitlin can do as she gets better at this level.

"Her future is super bright. Being a veteran and being in this league for a long, long time, it's pretty cool to see that and going into the future," she remarked.

Caitlin has yet to complete her rookie season, but she has already impressed her peers and foes alike with her heads-up play not often seen in a rookie in the WNBA. As Diana quipped, the sky's the limit for her potential, and she's excited to see how much Clark can achieve in the league.

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