Diana Taurasi classily admitted she was wrong about Caitlin Clark's WNBA preparedness
Diana Taurasi classily admitted she was wrong about Caitlin Clark's WNBA preparedness
There was a lot of controversy last year regarding Caitlin Clark's almost immediate meteoric ascent into becoming a full-fledged WNBA superstar.
One of the more vocal critics was the legendary Diana Taurasi, who famously warned Clark, telling the then-rookie that "reality is coming" in reference to the former Iowa star trying to beat grown women in the pros. With Clark both becoming an All-Star and qualifying for All-WNBA First Team last season, it seems Taurasi is finally ready to bury these sorts of sentiments for good.
We had a hilarious moment between the two to acknowledge this as much during the national title game edition of The Bird & Taurasi Show on Sunday.
After Clark joined Taurasi and Sue Bird, she quickly congratulated Taurasi on her recent basketball retirement. Since Clark wasted no time being gracious, Taurasi then took the opportunity to thank Clark before jokingly referencing her strong warning to the young star.
It was a perfect self-roast and admission all in one:
Shoutout to Taurasi for being a big person here. It takes a lot of guts to admit you're wrong in public and to do it to the person who was the subject of your criticism. That shouldn't go unnoticed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
WNBA Team Takes Shot at Wings After Win
WNBA Team Takes Shot at Wings After Win originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Phoenix Mercury protected their home court against the Dallas Wings on Wednesday and secured a 93-80 win. They earned their seventh win of the 2025 WNBA season. It is their third win of the Commissioner's Cup and handed the Wings' 10th loss of the year. Advertisement All-Star forward Satou Sabally had an incredible performance against her former team. She led the Mercury with 20 points, nine rebounds and two assists on 46.7% shooting from the field. It was her first time playing against Dallas after she was part of the four-team deal in February. Following the contest, the Mercury's social media post seemed like a shot at the Wings. Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas gets by Dallas Wings guard Paige Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images On X, Phoenix celebrated their win but couldn't help to throw shade at Dallas. "Can't spell Dallas without an L," the franchise posted. Phoenix outplayed Dallas in every quarter. They also forced the Wings to commit more turnovers, 15 in total. However, another major factor in the Mercury's win was their bench play. The bench unit scored 34 points, with Kitija Laksa scoring the most with 14. Advertisement The Wings' rookie, Paige Bueckers, had an incredible first game against the Mercury. She had 35 points, six rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. The youngster spent 37:17 minutes of action and was highly efficient from the field. The college champion shot 68.4% from the field, including a 71.4% shooting from deep. The next time the two teams will play against each other will be on July 3, which will be a two-game, back-to-back outing for both teams. Their third matchup will be on July 7. The Mercury will face the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday to conclude the Commissioner's Cup. Related: Satou Sabally Speaks on Playing Against Her Former WNBA Team This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Paige Bueckers' Response After Dallas Wings' Sixth Straight Loss
Paige Bueckers' Response After Dallas Wings' Sixth Straight Loss originally appeared on Athlon Sports. After missing four games while in concussion protocol followed by an illness, Paige Bueckers returned to action for the Dallas Wings on Wednesday. Advertisement She had her best game yet as a pro by exploding for 35 points on 13-of-19 shooting from the field and hitting five of her seven 3-point attempts while adding six rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. But the rookie couldn't prevent the Wings from losing to the Phoenix Mercury, 93-80. They now have a putrid 1-10 record, which is the worst mark in the WNBA. Bueckers was used to winning in college at UConn, and she talked about how she is dealing with losses in bunches as a pro. "It's challenging but very rewarding in a sense of you being super process-oriented and not result-oriented," she said. "How we want to have a set of standards, build a culture and have a way we do things and stick to that regardless of wins or losses... Then the results will follow and will come as we continue to stay disciplined in who we are every single day. "Just trying to lead by example, lead with my voice and just have difficult conversations. Get to know these people on and off the court and continue to build that chemistry... Just like anything in life, it's a journey." When Bueckers was at UConn, the school always reached at least the Sweet Sixteen round of the women's NCAA Tournament. In fact, during that time, the only instance in which the Huskies didn't get to the Final Four was when she missed all of the 2022-23 season with an injury. Advertisement Just a couple of months ago, they won it all by blasting South Carolina in the title game. For her college career, she averaged 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists a game while shooting 53.1% from the field and 42.3% from downtown. Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers and Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna SmithBruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images But she is now playing for a Wings franchise that has struggled in recent years. It has won just one playoff series since 2009, when it was known as the Shock and moved from Detroit to Tulsa, Oklahoma. In the meantime, look for Bueckers to continue to show patience as she develops her game and looks to become the WNBA's next superstar. Related: Caitlin Clark's Appearance at NBA Finals Draws Indiana Fever Reaction This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Caitlin Clark Reacts to Big Announcement on Wednesday
Caitlin Clark Reacts to Big Announcement on Wednesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Caitlin Clark continues to shine on and off the court, despite dealing with a setback in her second season with the Indiana Fever. Advertisement Clark and the Fever are currently 4-5 on the season, preparing for a matchup against the New York Liberty. While the Fever prepare for a matchup against the Liberty, all eyes will be on the next injury report with Clark. She's been out for five games, dealing with a quadriceps injury. During her time away from the Fever's active roster, a big announcement was posted in Clark's name. Wilson Basketball, a partner of Caitlin Clark, has dropped four signature basketballs, commemorating the Indiana Fever guard's career throughout her first two seasons in the WNBA. "Step into the lab and go behind the design with @CaitlinClark22 and Wilson Basketball's Product Team, for a closer look at her Signature Series," posted the official social media account of Wilson Basketball. "Over the next few days, we'll give you an in-depth look at each basketball in the collection." Advertisement Upon the release of the announcement, Caitlin Clark shared her reaction. "This is my favorite, I'm just seeing it at first glance," Clark said. "It's amazing. It's hard to pick a favorite ball but this is going to be up there with them. It's all about the details… This is a high school quality basketball. This is what the real hoopers use." Caitlin Clark and Wilson Basketball announced the launch of the following signature basketballs: Embrace, Aspire, Oasis and Envision. This is now the second release of signature basketballs with Caitlin Clark. Wilson Basketball released the first wave in July 2024. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark© Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images In her second season with the Indiana Fever, where she's only played a handful of games, Caitlin Clark has posted 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game. Advertisement Related: Caitlin Clark Turns Heads with Major Announcement on Monday Related: Chicago Sky Turn Heads With Angel Reese Message on Wednesday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
