How often do you see an athlete who does not have haters? Even Caitlin Clark will have haters. Everybody has, and even we hated someone or the other, sometime. They might be hometown rivals, personal grudges, or just teams that were easy to dislike. Likewise, a lot of players end up catching flak for no reason. In the early 2000s, Diana Taurasi was one such player. The combination of Taurasi and coach Geno won three championships between 2002-2004. Her sheer dominance was grounds for people to dislike her. But you cannot hate talented players forever, and this Uconn hater has realized it now.

On the Courtside Club, show host Rachel Annemarie DeMita admitted that she judged the WNBA legend too quickly. She was a Tennessee fan through and through, and naturally, the Huskies were a team she hated. “I always hated UConn, and I always hated Diana Taurasi because she was so good. She was unstoppable.”

Did she stop here? No, DeMita emphasized that the former Phoenix Mercury star is a fierce competitor and had the fire to win. After all, one does not enter conversations to be the Greatest of All Time without wanting to win at all costs. But what melted the celebrated host? An opportunity to work with Taurasi a few years ago changed DeMita’s perception of the former WNBA star. Not only that, she defended the point guard when narratives of Taurasi against Caitlin Clark popped up.

“I stood up for her then because I kind of felt like I knew her, at least a little bit,” DeMita said, justifying why she stood behind the legend. Even after years of hating on UConn, the reporter understood greatness and respected it. “This is just Diana Taurasi’s personality. She’s such a competitor, she’s so great on the court, and it’s like that is what contributes to her game being so great.”

In an era where CC is a household name, Diana Taurasi too makes an interesting case for the WNBA GOAT position. But was the Iowa star always ahead of the game? Or has Taurasi’s recent point of contention been her viewpoint on Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark? How has that evolved over the last year of Taurasi’s career? A lot of questions, all answered.

Caitlin Clark and Diana Taurasi, how has the bond been?

Caitlin Clark was supposed to save the women’s game, and to some extent, she did. The Indiana Fever rookie came into the league as a star, carrying the fame she got in her NCAA days with her. Expectations were high from the rookie, and a lot of people were watching. The star power that CC commanded without even stepping into the league rubbed a lot of the veterans the wrong way.

But Diana Taurasi’s issues with Clark started in the last Final Four that she played. Taurasi criticized CC’s green light, saying Clark couldn’t take those shots at UConn. She took a dig at the Iowa alum, saying that reality is coming. “You look superhuman playing 18-year-olds, but you’re going to come with some grown women who’ve been playing professional basketball for a long time.”

However, things tapered down as the former ROTY got used to the league. She performed well and won the respect of veterans aplenty, including Taurasi. The former Phoenix Mercury star praised the Fever star. “The one thing that I really love about her, she loves the game. You can tell she’s put the work in.” The two have become quite friendly now and very supportive of each other. After Taurasi’s retirement, CC paid a fitting one-word tribute, calling her a ‘legend.’ The WNBA ignites rivalry, and this healthy competition keeps the charm and interest alive in an era where everybody is friends.