Sophie Cunningham Says Playing With Diana Taurasi Prepared Her for Caitlin Clark

Sophie Cunningham drew a parallel between WNBA legend Diana Taurasi and new Indiana Fever teammate Caitlin Clark.

Sep 17, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham (9) and guard Diana Taurasi (3) celebrate in the second half against the LA Sparks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It’s only been a few days of training camp, but the Indiana Fever are deep in the trenches learning how to read one another and developing chemistry before their first preseason game against the Washington Mystics on May 2, as more than half the roster is new to the franchise.

But Sophie Cunningham might have a leg up in her transition to the team, given she’s applying lessons learned from one of her former teammates, who also happens to be arguably the WNBA GOAT, Diana Taurasi.

In a media interview Tuesday, Cunningham was asked whether her experience playing with Taurasi has helped prepare her to team up in the backcourt with her new teammate, Caitlin Clark.

“Anytime you play with the… GOAT of our game, you’re gonna learn a lot,” Cunningham said. “You have to be ready for the ball, head on a swivel at all times and the way [Clark] throws the ball is a lot like how DT threw it. I think this is just the younger version of her.”

#IndianaFever’s Sophie Cunningham on how playing with Diana Taurasi prepared her for Caitlin Clark:

“You play with the GOAT of our game, you’re gonna learn a lot. … The way that (CC) throws the ball is a lot how DT threw it. I think this is just the younger version of her …” pic.twitter.com/r86AJuzBca

— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) April 29, 2025

Now, one doesn’t just throw around comparisons to a legend like Diana Taurasi willy-nilly, but if anyone’s allowed to draw such a parallel, it’s Cunningham. After five seasons alongside Taurasi in Phoenix, Cunningham knows exactly what it takes to play with a high-IQ, high-vision guard. Now, with Clark commanding the floor in Indiana, that experience is already proving valuable.

“[Caitlin’s] got a little bit more energy, a little bit more spunk, I missed DT in her prime, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t great when I played with her,” Cunningham added. “At the end of the day, everybody can shoot… If you’re cutting and open, you’re going to get the ball, so you just have to be ready for that.”

The Fever are laying the foundation for a breakout season, and with Cunningham’s experience playing alongside elite playmaking, her ability to build chemistry with a floor general like Clark could make her one of Indiana’s most valuable glue players, helping to turn early potential into a legitimate championship push.