Perhaps no current WNBA franchise is steeped in league history quite like the Phoenix Mercury. So, when they say the game is in good hands, that carries some weight.
A day after rookie phenom Caitlin Clark and her Indiana Fever beat future Hall of Famer Diana Taurasi and her Mercury, the team’s official X account showed some respect to the league’s stars with a post that has gone viral.
“From one generation to the next. Our game is in good hands,” the post reads, accompanied by a photo of Clark and Taurasi standing next to each other and sharing a laugh.
The Sunday, June 30 game between Indiana and Phoenix drew 17,071 fans. That’s the second-highest attendance figure in franchise history, trailing only the 17,747 who showed up to see the Mercury play the Sparks in the league’s inaugural season.
The Fever won the game, 88-82, behind a near-triple-double from Clark, who was battling illness. The rookie had 15 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds, while Taurasi had 19 points of her own.
Diana Taurasi and Caitlin Clark Share a Mutual Respect
Though they compete on the court, Clark and Taurasi are complimentary of each other off it. Before the game, the two shared a hug and some smiles. The day before, Clark spoke with the media about the chance to face Taurasi, whom she grew up idolizing.
“It’s incredible to think she’s been in this league for 20 years,” she told reporters. “That’s just super cool. It’s a feat that not a lot of people will ever accomplish in their careers but for her to do that and continue to do it at a high level, I don’t know if there’s going to be many people able to do it like her.”
Taurasi, who famously warned Clark and her fellow rookies that “reality is coming” before the season, was just as complimentary of the Fever rookie after the game.
“The one thing that I really love about her, she’s put the work in,” Taurasi said. “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. So her future is super bright.”
That’s a little more elaborative than Taurasi had been the day before the game when a reporter asked for her thoughts on playing Clark.
“Yeah, it’ll be fun,” she said at the time.
Taurasi vs. Clark Could Return to Phoenix Soon
The Fever won’t return to Phoenix this season, though the Mercury will play at Indiana twice, including on July 12.
That doesn’t mean Clark and Taurasi won’t square off in the desert again. In fact, it’s a near lock.
The WNBA All-Star Game will take place in Phoenix later this month, featuring the USA Olympic Team against the WNBA All-Stars. Though the All-Star roster hasn’t been announced yet, Clark was the leading vote-getter among players not already on Team USA when the league gave a vote update on June 21. Fan voting accounts for 50% of the overall vote, and Clark’s numbers are good enough to warrant voting from the players and media.
Clark’s teammate, Aliyah Boston, had the second-most votes out of anyone not playing in the Olympics.
The All-Star Game will take place July 20, tipping at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
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