WNBA player Diana Taurasi doubled down on comments about Caitlin Clark ahead of her first season in the WNBA, calling her fans sensitive after they seemingly lashed out over some critical comments.
Taurasi is a three-time WNBA champion and has played in the league since 2004. In early April, she gave a warning to Clark ahead of the WNBA draft, telling her that she would face much tougher competition once she turned professional.
“Reality is coming,” she said on April 6, 2024. “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 come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.”
“There is gonna be a transition period where you’re going to have to give yourself some grace as a rookie,” Taurasi added.
The veteran player’s slightly inflammatory comments were completely reasonable and reflective of the reality of the transition between college athletics and nearly every professional sports league.
Clark supporters, however, were not happy with the 41-year-old’s remarks:
“Translation: I’m kind of pissed that I’ve been doing this for decades in 3/4 empty arenas and you come along and sell out games before you’re even in the league,” a fan wrote.
“She’s already scared,” another chimed in.
“I know it’s jealousy but do you know how ugly (inside) this makes you look?” a disappointed X user said.
Weeks later, Taurasi responded to the backlash by calling her detractors sensitive, denying that she said any falsehoods.
“The new fans are really sensitive these days and you can’t say anything,” Taurasi claimed. “It’s kind of like when you go from kindergarten to first grade there’s a learning adjustment, when you go from high school to college there’s a learning adjustment. I don’t think I said anything that wasn’t factually correct.”
At the same time, the Phoenix Mercury player sprinkled some praise for Clark into her latest comments.
“Greatness is going to translate and she’s proven that in every level. I don’t see that being any different in the WNBA.”
Taurasi’s Phoenix team — which features former Russian prisoner Brittney Griner — will play Clark’s Indiana Fever on June 30, 2024. The WNBA season starts on May 14, 2024.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!