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Roughly two years after Caitlin Clark’s notable omission from the US women’s national basketball team at the Paris Olympics, the Indiana Fever star made her long-awaited debut on Team USA in an iconic jersey number.
The number 12 jersey has long been associated with WNBA legend and the historic Olympic careers of six-time gold medalist Diana Taurasi. Clark recently took the floor in his first senior team appearance, a move that drew praise from Taurasi.
“It’s great to see Caitlin not only wear the United States jersey, but also wear the number 12. I spent two decades wearing that jersey and that number, and I can’t think of anyone better to take it, put it on, and have an incredible career,” Taurasi told Sports Illustrated.
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Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark (22) and Phoenix Mercury’s Diana Taurasi (3) smile during the game on June 30, 2024, at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images)
Clark scored 17 points and averaged 11.6 points and 6.4 assists during the FIBA World Cup qualifying game earlier this month, earning MVP honors.
Taurasi, a three-time FIBA women’s gold medalist, praised Clark’s performance and said he hopes to see her this summer as she prepares for her first Olympic run.
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“And Caitlin will do that. She had a great qualifying game in Puerto Rico. It will be fun to see her play in the summer, in Germany, and then at the Olympics.”
“No one is better at wearing No. 12, and Caitlin is going to put some gold medals on that jersey, you know?” he added.
Caitlin Clark (12) of the United States plays during the FIBA World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournament match between New Zealand and the United States in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on March 15, 2026, at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum. (Edgardo Medina/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Clark wore number 22 during her first two seasons in the WNBA. He also wore the number during his rise to stardom at Iowa.
While players often wear different jersey numbers in international competition, Taurasi said he had no role in Clark’s decision to wear number 12, but joked that a familiar figure might have had something to do with it.
Caitlin Clark of the United States prepares to take a free throw during the 2026 Women’s World Cup Qualifier between Puerto Rico and the United States at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot on March 12, 2026, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Alexa Alejandro/FIBA via Getty Images)
“You know, once I run out of things, I run out of nothing,” Taurasi said. “Maybe sue [Bird]You know, she’s a little more calculated than people think. Maybe that was Sue’s job. “That wouldn’t surprise me.”
Prior to this month’s FIBA action, a series of injuries sidelined Clark for much of the past eight months, limiting the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader to 13 games in her second season in the WNBA.
