Caitlin Clark shares one-word verdict on Diana Taurasi after WNBA legend announces retirement
Diana Taurasi announced her retirement from the WNBA this week, with the likes of Caitlin Clark and LeBron James among those to congratulate the basketball icon
Caitlin Clark has hailed Diana Taurasi as a ‘legend’ following her decision to hang up her boots after an illustrious 20-year stint in the WNBA.
As the league’s all-time top scorer, a three-time WBA champ and a winner of six Olympic golds, Taurasi has called it quits at 42, with tributes pouring in from all corners.
Clark took to Instagram, simply posting ‘legend’ alongside a shared announcement of Taurasi’s retirement, which the basketball world learned about on Tuesday.
Clark and Taurasi faced off in just one season, during Clark’s first year with the Indiana Fever, who swept all three matches against Taurasi’s Phoenix Mercury in 2024, with Taurasi playing in two.
Reflecting on her career, Taurasi acknowledged the emergence of talents like Clark and Angel Reese, praising the growth of the game and tipping her hat to the achievements of the 22 year old, while half-jokingly expressing hope that her records remain intact.
She remarked: “My scoring record, or the six gold medals, someone’s going to come around that has the same hunger, the same addiction to basketball, and put those records in a different way, a different name. That’s what sports is all about. That’s going to be fun to watch. Hopefully not soon!”
Speaking of her encounter with Caitlin Clark last year, Taurasi praised the young player, saying: “It’s amazing what Caitlin’s been able to do in her short career so far. The one thing that I really love about her, she loves the game. You can tell she’s put the work in… It’s been a lot of pressure, a lot of things thrown at her, and she keeps showing up and keeps getting better every single game.”
Meanwhile, LeBron James tipped his hat to Taurasi’s storied career, stating: “Just seeing her transcend the game, watching little girls want to play like her, her style, her flair, her bravado, you know, her swagger, it’s been an unbelievable treat.
“She’s one of the all-time greatest, and she will leave her mark on the game of basketball the moment she ties those shoes up and throws them over the pole line. It’s been an honor. All love.”
