Last month, the dynamic between Caitlin Clark and Jacee Sheldon highlighted Sheldon’s growing reputation as one of Clark’s most skilled teammates. At 23, Clark has emerged as one of the league’s premier guards in her 15.5 seasons, known not only for her on-court talent but also for her sharp trash-talking skills, reminiscent of the legendary Diana Taurasi’s status as the WNBA’s foremost trash talker.
However, according to a recent anonymous poll of WNBA players conducted by The Athletic, Clark has yet to claim that title. Instead, the crown for best trash talker has passed from Taurasi to another Phoenix Mercury player. Following Taurasi’s retirement, Alyssa Thomas leads with 13 out of 33 votes; she is trailed by Minnesota’s Courtney Williams with 5 votes, Connecticut’s Marina Mabry with 4, and Seattle’s Skyler Diggins with 2. Both Clark and her Indiana Fever teammate Sophie Cunningham each received a single vote.
“Everyone knows she talks,” one player commented. “I don’t even guard her, and she’s still talking.”
Thomas, 33, is a strong contender for her first MVP award this season. As the engine of the Mercury, she tops the WNBA with 142 total assists and an average of 9.5 assists per game, driving Phoenix to a 14-6 record—the league’s best aside from the Minnesota Lynx. Another player described her trash talk as chilling yet delivered with a smile: “She’s psycho, she’s crazy, man.”
While Clark’s reputation for trash talk is developing, it’s clear that the two-time All-Star has room to sharpen this skill in the coming years.
Fan Take: This snapshot of leadership in both skill and attitude underscores how players like Alyssa Thomas are shaping the new era of the WNBA. For fans, it’s exciting to witness the rise of fierce competitors whose influence extends beyond stats into the realm of personality and mental game, signaling a sport growing richer in style and substance.
