Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi looks down during the national anthem before a WNBA basketball gameAPl

If there’s a career that Caitlin Clark or Angel Reese would aspire to mirror at the outset of their promising careers, it’s undoubtedly that of Diana Taurasi.

Now in her 20th season in the WNBA, the 42-year-old Taurasi may be in her final year.

Nicknamed “White Mamba” in homage to Kobe Bryant, Taurasi’s accolades are numerous and impressive, including three NCAA championships with the University of Connecticut,

the 2004 Rookie of the Year award, three WNBA championships, five WNBA scoring titles, the 2009 WNBA MVP award, and two WNBA Finals MVPs, among many many others, even outside the US in Europe.

This season marks the 20th anniversary of Taurasi being selected as the first pick in the 2004 draft, a year in which she also won Rookie of the Year.

Both Clark and Reese are frontrunners for this year’s Rookie of the Year award, with the competition narrowing to a two-horse race due to Cameron Brink’s injury.

After a recent practice, Taurasi was asked about facing Caitlin Clark, to which she nonchalantly replied, “Yeah, it will be fun.”

Some on social media have speculated that Taurasi’s brief response might be due to jealousy over the attention Clark has received in her debut games, but this seems far-fetched.

Taurasi is a legend whose impact on the WNBA is unparalleled, but the league has never had as much visibility as it does now. 

The upcoming game will undoubtedly be exciting, with both Taurasi and Clark averaging just over 16 points per game.

Fans can expect both players, especially Taurasi, to aim for their season highs in this matchup.

The highly anticipated game is set for Sunday, June 30, in Phoenix at 3:00 PM EST. 

Both teams have one game before then: Indiana, showing their best form of the season, faces a challenging matchup against Seattle tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Phoenix will host the Cameron-less LA Sparks on Friday at 10:00 PM EST.

As Taurasi reflects on her illustrious career, the game against Clark serves as a symbolic passing of the torch to the next generation of WNBA stars.

This matchup not only highlights the evolution of women’s basketball but also emphasizes the importance of seasoned veterans mentoring and challenging new talents.