Before she even stepped foot in the WNBA, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi made some choice comments about Caitlin Clark’s transition to the pros. Having time to look back on the situation now, the Seattle Storm legend feels she played a part in an unwanted narrative forming around the 2024 No. 1 pick.
During a recent episode of their “A Touch More” podcast, Bird and co-host Megan Rapinoe touched on the now infamous ESPN interview. The 13-time All-Star said some things were taken out of context, and the clip opened the door for people to start speaking out against Clark.
“In some ways, it started with me and Diana on our show getting interviewed by Scott Van Pelt,” Bird said. “Once Diana’s comments went viral, it led to the Twitter trolls and bots taking over. What started there was this narrative of petty, jealous players hating on Caitlin.”
The instance that Sue Bird is talking about is when she and Taurasi were asked about Clark entering the league. When discussing her impact on day one, the former MVP said that it wouldn’t be as easy for her as it was in college.
Taurasi wasn’t totally wrong in her prediction, as Clark did have a rocky start to her pro career. That said, she managed to recover and go on to have a rookie season filled with historic feats and notable performances.
Sue Bird has always been a strong supporter of Caitlin Clark
The interview on ESPN might have shined her in a bad light, but history proves that Sue Bird has long been a supporter of Caitlin Clark. There have been numerous instances where she has advocated for her in the media and behind the scenes.
Bird’s influence on Clark started back in her days at Iowa. When she was asked who her mentors had been, she instantly named the longtime WNBA guard. Clark said Bird had dinner with her after watching her play and gave her lots of advice regarding the road ahead.
As her historic rookie campaign went on, Sue Bird continued to praise Clark and what she’s done. During the regular season, numerous analysts said that Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese should be seen as the Rookie of the Year favorite over Clark. However, when asked about the subject, Bird felt the Indiana Fever guard was the obvious choice.
When it comes to women who were trailblazers for the WNBA, Bird should be among the first names mentioned. She was a star in the league for two decades and helped put the game in a position to succeed. Based on the support she’s shown for Clark over the past year, it’s clear she wants to help uplift the next generation.
