‘Reality is coming’: Diana Taurasi was right about Caitlin Clark

Diana Taurasi was right about Caitlin Clark.

“Reality is coming,” Taurasi said last month on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt. “There’s levels to this thing.”

DT was saying that while Clark was a star in college, she’s just a rookie in the WNBA. And in Clark’s first game as a pro Tuesday night, she and her Indiana Fever teammates were burned by the Connecticut Sun, 92-71.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) returns the ball against the Connecticut Sun in the second quarter at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on May 14, 2024.

Clark picked up two early fouls and was held scoreless for most of the first half. She finished with 20 points, leading Indiana, but it came on just 5-for-15 shooting.

She also struggled in the fourth quarter as the Sun outscored the Fever 27-14 to close the game.

When Clark entered with about 7 minutes to play in the final period, the Fever trailed by 13; they ended up losing by 21. Clark had eight points and an assist, but that was offset by two turnovers, two fouls and three missed shots as Connecticut pulled away.

Taurasi was right, and it was nothing personal. Just a fair warning from a veteran superstar who’s seen it all over the last 20 years.

“Reality is coming. There’s levels to this thing. And that’s just life,” the White Mamba said. “We all went through it. You see it on the NBA side, and you’re going to see it on this side. … You look superhuman playing 18-year-olds, but you’re going to come with some grown women that’ve been playing professional basketball for a long time.

“Not saying that it’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 just gonna have to give yourself some grace as a rookie.”

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All eyes now shift to DT, the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, the GOAT that Clark will be chasing for as long as she can remain a top-level superstar.

The Mercury opened the season Tuesday night with a loss at Las Vegas. Taurasi scored 23 points to lead Phoenix. Their next game is the home opener Saturday against the Atlanta Dream.

DT and Clark will have a chance to match up for the first time on June 30 when the Fever visit Footprint Center.