Everyone in the WNBA knows how Diana Taurasi is. The 42-year-old is not only known for her longevity and elite play in 20 seasons but also for being tough on younger players. But what players around the league know her most for is her trash-talking. Something that she does to anyone and everyone. In yesterday’s game, it was the turn of Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark.

A clipping from yesterday’s game between the Phoenix Mercury and the Indiana Fever shows the interaction between the two. Although it is unclear what the 42-year-old mouthed in Clark’s direction, the rookie’s response sounded like she was saying:

I don't give a f**k.

Caitlin Clark’s alleged response to Diana Taurasi’s trash talk

Hearing this go down, Taurasi’s teammate and fellow Olympic gold medalist Kahleah Copper broke into a bout of laughter. As she probably understood all too well that Clark is not one to back down.

Caitlin Clark might be a rookie, but stories of her trash talk are already famous around the league. WNBA 2-time champion Las Vegas Aces head coach, Becky Hammon talked about how much Clark talks while on the floor. Whereas, her trash talk has sometimes been the instigator of some heated altercations.

To many, it would seem as if Clark was just responding to Diana Taurasi. But no one knows what actually went on between them. Maybe Copper knows, which is why she laughed. That laughter though suggests that the trash-talk was not an indication of animosity between Taurasi and Clark.

Diana Taurasi and Mercury teammates show Caitlin Clark love

Before the start of the season, the now 6-time Olympic gold medalist was thought to be jealous of the rookie. However, in their three meetings so far, it has proven otherwise. Diana Taurasi has nothing but love for the superstar rookie who has made her play on the court live up to the hype.

In a clip from later in the game, Taurasi comes up from behind, puts her arm around Clark, and then gives her a tap on her butt. This shows that one of the greats of the game does not hesitate to show her love for the rookie. It was not just Taurasi. Phoenix Mercury teammates, Sophie Cunningham and Natasha Cloud showed their appreciation after the game.

It seems, that after all the initial hate-based stories running around in the WNBA, the tide is slowly shifting. Not only have they understood that Caitlin Clark’s impact is helping the league, but her play is superlative enough to draw respect.