Caitlin Clark isn’t playing in this year’s NCAA women’s basketball national championship game, but she will be on the air during it.
Clark led Iowa to the national title game in 2023 and 2024, where the Hawkeyes fell to LSU and South Carolina. Now heading into her second season in the WNBA, Clark is scheduled to appear on the The Bird & Taurasi Show during this afternoon’s championship game between South Carolina and UConn. Hosted by women’s hoops legends Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, the popular altcast is in its fourth season.
Immediately following UConn’s 85-51 national semifinal win over UCLA Friday night, Bird and Taurasi confirmed that Clark would be participating in Sunday’s broadcast.
“This will be Caitlin’s second time on the show. It will be nice to have Caitlin back as a pro,” Bird said.
“She was a college kid,” Taurasi added about Clark’s first appearance. “Caitlin’s grown. Boy, Caitlin’s amazing.”
PHOENIX, AZ – JUNE 30: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever and Diana Taurasi #3 of the Phoenix Mercury smile during the game on June 30, 2024 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images)
Kate Frese/Getty Images
Going back to last year, there were whispers of some potential animosity between Clark and Taurasi due to the latter saying “reality is coming” for Clark in the pros after her historic college career.
However, Taurasi later clarified those comments and praised Clark for “always stepping up to the plate.”
You know these days, everything takes a life of their own,” Taurasi said last May. “Every little snippet, every little comment, any quote taken out of context. Look, I only said it because when I watch games — and I’m sure when you talk to any professional athlete — you think about what they’ll look like as a pro. How will it translate? It’s going to translate. Like any college quarterback, it’s going to take time.”
It should be fun listening to Clark, Bird and Taurasi together during today’s altcast. South Carolina and UConn will tip off at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN.
