What did Diana Taurasi say about Caitlin Clark? Looking at 3X  WNBA Champion's words of caution for the Iowa star

Iowa star Caitlin Clark got a heads-up from former UConn women’s basketball powerhouse Diana Taurasi ahead of her WNBA career. Clark made her intentions clear last month by declaring for the 2024 WNBA draft after putting in four solid years with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Following Iowa's thrilling 71-69 victory over UConn in the Final Four, Taurasi, now with the Phoenix Mercury but once a star guard for the Huskies, didn't sugarcoat the challenge awaiting Clark in the pros.

On SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt, Taurasi said that transitioning to the professional ranks isn't a cakewalk.

“Look, SVP. Reality is coming,” Taurasi said. “There’s levels to this thing. And that’s just life, we all went through it. You see it on the NBA side, and you’re going to see it on this side.”

“You look superhuman playing against 18-year-olds,” she added. “But you’re going to come with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.”

Taurasi also fired a wake-up call for rookies stepping up to the big leagues.

“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,” she added.

“But there is going to be a transition period, where you’re just going to have to give yourself grace as a rookie, and it might take a little bit longer for some people.”

Diana Taurasi chose a star player over Caitlin Clark

In a candid moment during Friday night's alternate broadcast of the Final Four, basketball icons Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi were pressed to pick between Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark as the cornerstone for a WNBA team.

Taurasi wasted no time siding with Bueckers, making her preference crystal clear.

"I'm taking Paige," Taurasi said, with belief in Bueckers' superiority over Clark.

However, Clark, the Iowa senior, has been the talk of the town, widely touted as the top pick in the upcoming 2024 WNBA draft ever since she clinched the 2023 National Player of the Year title and led Iowa to the national championship game.

With mock drafts consistently pegging her to land with the Indiana Fever since they secured the No. 1 pick last December, the hype around Caitlin Clark has been building.

Who will have a smoother transition to the WNBA: Caitlin Clark or Paige Bueckers? Let us know in the comments section!