Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury experienced a humbling defeat as they were swept in their season series by Caitlin Clark‘s Indiana Fever. This result is particularly striking, given that Taurasi had earlier cautioned against underestimating the challenges awaiting rookies like Clark in the WNBA.

Caitlin Clark scores 29 to help Fever fend off Mercury rally in 98-89 win before sellout crowd | AP News

Returning from the Olympic break, where she did not participate with Team USA, Clark took the opportunity to shine. She spearheaded the Fever to a 98-89 victory over the Mercury, their third win against Phoenix this season. Clark‘s stellar performance included 29 points, 10 assists and five rebounds.

Diana Taurasi re-signs with Phoenix on multi-year deal - Just Women's Sports

On the other side, Taurasi seemed to be struggling to regain her form after recently returning from the Paris Games. With minimal time to readjust, she ended the game with 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three turnovers.

Adding to her frustrations, she was hit with a technical foul early in the game after a dispute with officials over a call against Brittney Griner.

The win was particularly satisfying for Clark, especially in light of a social media jab from the Mercury‘s team just days before the game.

The team had posted a video of a young fan holding a sign saying, “Who is Caitlin? I’m here for Taurasi,” along with clips of Taurasi making impressive three-pointers.

Sceptical about the rookies

Clark‘s rapid impact in the WNBA contrasts sharply with Taurasi‘s earlier predictions of a tough transition for rookies like her.

Following Iowa’s deep run in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, Taurasi had commented to ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt that the incoming class, including Clark, Kamilla Cardoso, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink, would face significant challenges in the professional league.

“You know, there’s levels to this thing. And that’s just life. We all went through it,” Taurasi said. “And you see it on the NBA side, and you’re going to see it on this side, where, you know, you look superhuman playing against 18-year-olds, but you’re going to come with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.

“Not saying that it’s not going to translate, because when you’re great at what you do, you’re just going to get better. But there is going to be a transition period where you’re going to have to give yourself some grace as a rookie, and, you know, it might take a little bit longer for some people.”