Diana Taurasi gives heartfelt shout-out to Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese after retiring- "It's a challenge for women to support each other" 

WNBA legend Diana Taurasi gave a heartfelt shoutout to Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese after announcing her retirement. Taurasi laid the foundation for women's basketball to reach its pinnacle, and players like Clark and Reese picked up the pace with their arrivals, taking the game to a whole new level.

In an honest take on women's sports and what contributes to its growth, Taurasi hailed visibility and access to learning about newcomers like Clark, Reese and even Paige Bueckers from the beginning.

The Mercury legend said on the ABC show, "The View," on Wednesday:

"I think it's a challenge for women, for us to support each other. As we know, we are going to long lengths to make sure all women's sports are on TV ... That's the thing that's more important. It's visibility.

"When you learn about these athletes of the world at an early age, the Caitlin Clark's and the Angel Reese's and the Paige's [Bueckers]. Like you get to follow their stories."

Diana Taurasi believes there was some visibility in the 1990s and 2000s, but it didn't compare to the social media age now, which will take women's sports forward.

Taurasi and the veterans have worked to draw viewers and eyeballs to the WNBA for decades, but the change only came after Clark and Reese burst onto the scene in college and then the pros. In particular, Clark was instrumental in helping the league shatter viewership records and improve its popularity among basketball fans.

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Caitlin Clark names Diana Taurasi as favorite matchup

The respect between Caitlin Clark and Diana Taurasi is mutual. Despite WNBA Twitter spaces thinking otherwise, the point guards have shown each other tributes whenever they have had the chance. Before Taurasi lauded Clark's influence in women's sports on Wednesday, the Fever star called her former Mercury counterpart her 'favorite matchup.'

Clark said that during her interview with Nike in a video released on Tuesday.

"Honestly I'll just say DT (Diana Taurasi) because she is such an icon in our sport and has been in the game for so long. You know, getting to share the court with her was pretty fun. You just see her competitive spirit even though you are not on her team, you can just feel it as a competitor."

Caitlin Clark and Diana Taurasi had the opportunity to match up twice last year. Clark swept the season series 2-0, averaging 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 11.0 assists. Meanwhile, Taurasi had 17.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 3.0 apg.