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Nearly two years after Caitlin Clark’s dramatic omission from the US women’s national basketball team at the Paris Olympics, the Indiana Fever star made her much-anticipated debut for Team USA while wearing the iconic jersey number.
The number 12 jersey has long been associated with WNBA legend and six-time Olympic gold medalist Diana Taurasi’s run. Clark recently played a major role in his appearance for the senior national team, a move that won praise from Taurasi.
“It’s great to see Caitlin not only wearing the USA jersey, but the number 12. I spent two decades wearing that jersey and that number, and I couldn’t think of anyone better to take on and have an amazing career,” Taurasi told Sports Illustrated.
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Caitlin Clark (22) of the Indiana Fever and Diana Taurasi (3) of the Phoenix Mercury smile during a game on June 30, 2024, at the 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 qualifier earlier this month, earning MVP honors.
Taurasi, a three-time FIBA women’s gold medalist, praised Clark’s performance and said she is looking forward to watching her this summer as she prepares for her first Olympic run.
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“And Caitlin will do that. She had a great qualifier down in Puerto Rico. It will be great to see her play in the summer, in Germany, and then the Olympics.”
“There’s nobody better to wear 12, and Caitlin’s going to put gold medals in that jersey, you know,” he added.
Caitlin Clark (12) of the United States plays during the match at the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament between New Zealand and the United States in San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 15, 2026, at the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot. (Edgardo Medina/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Clark wore number 22 during her first two WNBA seasons. He also wore the number when he moved up to Iowa.
Although players often wear different jersey numbers in international competitions, Taurasi said he had no part in Clark’s decision to wear the number 12, but joked that the average person might have had a hand in it.
Caitlin Clark of the US prepares to take a free throw during the 2026 Women’s World Cup Qualifying Match between Puerto Rico and the USA 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, when I’m out of things, I’m out,” Taurasi said. “Maybe Sue [Bird]you know, you count less than people think. So maybe that was Sue’s job. That wouldn’t surprise me.”
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Before this month’s FIBA action, a flurry of injuries sidelined Clark for most of the past eight months, limiting the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader to 13 games in her second WNBA season.
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