Diana Taurasi has reacted to the news of Caitlin Clark taking over her number on Team USA women’s basketball team. The WNBA legend, winner of six Olympic gold medals and three FIBA world championships, wore the number 12 as she represented her country. Now that Clark has taken over her jersey number, Taurasi has shared her excited reaction.
“It’s so cool. You know, to see Caitlin not only wear the USA jersey, but number 12,” Taurasi said in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “I spent two decades wearing that jersey and that number, and I couldn’t think of anyone better to take it and put it on and just have an amazing career. And Caitlin will do that.”
“She had a great qualifier down in Puerto Rico. It’s just going to be fun to watch her play in the summer, in Germany, and then at the Olympics. No one better to wear the 12, and Caitlin’s going to put some gold medals on that jersey, you know.”
© GettyClark wears No. 22 when she plays for the Indiana Fever, the number she’s worn since her college days, but players are allowed to wear different numbers to play internationally.
She made her debut with Team USA earlier this month, making an impact in games against Senegal and Puerto Rico.
Taurasi and Clark’s respect for each other
Taurasi and Clark are two of the largest figures in WNBA history. The two played against each other in 2024, with Clark praising Taurasi after the match. “That’s somebody I grew up idolizing and looking up to and wanting to be like one day,” she said.
Clark has made a great impact in the WNBA, becoming a great influencing factor in the rise in popularity of the sport for modern American audiences. She was the top pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, averaging 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game over the course of two seasons. She’s expected to become a fixture on the national team.
In the case of Taurasi, she played a key role in Team USA, winning Olympic gold in the years 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024.
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