Caitlin Clark lauds childhood idol Diana Taurasi ahead of first WNBA matchup: 'One of the greatest players'

Paul Pierce explains why Caitlin Clark should shoot more after finishing with just 15 points off 4-of-9 shooting in the Indiana Fever's 89-77 loss to the Seattle Storm.

Diana Taurasi is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in WNBA history. Meanwhile, rookie Caitlin Clark has helped bring an unprecedented amount of attention to women's basketball.

Clark and the Indiana Fever will faceoff with Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday. The game will mark Clark's first opportunity to compete against Taurasi in the WNBA.

Clark was asked about her feelings leading up to the highly anticipated matchup with a player she grew up idolizing. 

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Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever warms up before the game /ah at Wintrust Arena on June 23, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

"It’s incredible," Clark told reporters on Saturday about Taurasi’s two-decade run in the league. "I don’t think people realize how hard that is to do."

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Clark also said taking the court for a game against a player of Taurasi's caliber was "a dream come true. You get to live out your dream while playing against the best."

Diana Taurasi #3 of the Phoenix Mercury looks on during the game against the Las Vegas Aces on May 14, 2024 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)

Clark went on to describe Taurasi as one of the WNBA's all-time greats. "Obviously, she’s one of the greatest players our game has ever seen, the greatest scorer our game has ever seen," Clark said.

Despite Clark's latest praise, a budding rivalry between the two high-profile players could