Caitlin Clark’s second WNBA season hasn’t exactly started on a smooth note. Despite helping the Indiana Fever to two wins in their first four games, the former Iowa star is already navigating some early turbulence.
Most recently, Clark sustained a left quadriceps strain during a tough May 23 loss to the New York Liberty (90-88). The injury is expected to keep her out of action for at least two weeks. But amid the setbacks, a bold—and slightly cheeky—prediction from WNBA legend Diana Taurasi has caught fans’ attention.
Diana Taurasi Makes a Bold Prediction About Caitlin Clark
During her appearance on the “No Offseason” podcast, Taurasi was asked who she thought would lead the WNBA in technical fouls this season. With the confidence of someone who’s been there before, she first mentioned Natasha Cloud. Then, after a brief pause and a grin, she added Clark to the mix.
“For technical fouls, I’m going to have two great candidates. Either my girl Natasha Cloud. And you know, a sneaky one… I’m gonna go with Caitlin. Caitlin’s sharp. I got Caitlin… Yeah, those two are gonna compete,” said Taurasi.
The prediction might not be so surprising. Clark’s competitive fire is well-documented, and it already got her into trouble last season. As a rookie, she racked up six technical fouls—just one shy of an automatic suspension.
That number alone turned heads across the league. And this year, Clark has already picked up another technical foul in the Fever’s final preseason game against the Atlanta Dream.
Technical fouls in the WNBA don’t just cost teams momentum, but they cost players money, too. The first three technicals each result in a $200 fine, and the fines jump to $400 per foul from the fourth through sixth.
Do the math, and Clark has already paid about $2,000 in fines. If she continues to play with that same emotional edge, that number could climb quickly.
Taurasi, of course, knows a thing or two about this. She holds the WNBA record for the most technical fouls in league history with a staggering 105. Throughout her career, she’s been no stranger to the league’s disciplinary system, even serving multiple suspensions when her total reached the limit.
So, when Taurasi singles out Clark as a top candidate for technical fouls, it comes from a place of experience. She sees in Clark the same fiery passion that fueled her own career.
Clark Vows to Keep Technicals in Check
While Taurasi’s prediction might feel inevitable, Clark herself has signaled she plans to avoid repeating last year’s mistakes. In an earlier appearance on the “Bird and Taurasi Show” during the NCAA women’s national championship game, Clark shared a telling detail about her approach this season.
“I already told Steph two max,” Clark said, referring to Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White.
“I already told Steph [White] 2 max”
Caitlin Clark on how many technical fouls she’ll have this year pic.twitter.com/KsTu0HpjZi
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) April 6, 2025
Clark also explained the circumstances behind her technical fouls last season.
“I came close to getting suspended for our last game, and obviously, every front office tries to get your technicals taken away, and they wouldn’t take any of mine away,” Clark said. “I got two for slapping the stanchion of the hoop, and I got another one for accidentally hitting someone in the eye. So half of them weren’t even me getting to talk to the refs, which was dumb.”
Before her injury, Clark was off to an impressive start, averaging 19.0 points, six rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game.
Now, as the WNBA waits for her return, it remains to be seen whether she can stick to her promise and keep her technical fouls in check, or if Taurasi’s prediction will come true after all.
