In a recent reflection on her Final Four loss to Caitlin Clark’s Iowa squad, Paige Bueckers confessed, “I’m still sick about that game.” Despite holding a 12-point lead, her UConn team fell short in a dramatic 71-69 loss. Since then, both Bueckers and Clark have taken their talents to the WNBA, where comparisons were inevitable given their positions and college dominance.
Now drafted No. 1 overall by the Dallas Wings, Bueckers steps into the pros with sky-high expectations. But while Clark joined a more seasoned Indiana Fever squad, Bueckers enters a Dallas team still in early development. Many of the growing pains Clark faced—especially with turnovers and physicality—are now predicted for Bueckers.
Veteran WNBA reporter Myles Ehrlich echoed this concern on the In Case You Missed It podcast, stating, “The standout thing about Paige is that nothing really stands out—except her readiness. She’s had pro-level vision for a long time.” Despite her stellar senior season at UConn—where she shot 53% from the field, 42% from beyond the arc, and 89% from the line—Ehrlich emphasized her 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio could be a concern early on in the pros.
That same stat line was once a red flag for Clark, who racked up 10 turnovers in her WNBA debut and totaled 51 in her first month. Bueckers may face a similar fate, especially after a rough preseason moment where she was knocked down by a hard screen while driving for a left-handed floater. Teammate Sonia Citron also took a tumble after a hit from veteran Brittney Griner—highlighting the physicality Bueckers must adjust to.
Podcast host Khristina Williams chimed in, advising Bueckers to take a lesson from Clark’s offseason transformation. “Taking a page out of Caitlin’s book, you have to bulk up. The physicality is just different in the WNBA,” she noted.
Clark spent the offseason working closely with Fever performance coach Sarah Kessler to improve her strength. Bueckers is expected to follow a similar path if she wants to minimize turnovers and maximize her finesse game against more physically dominant guards.
Off the court, the buzz around Bueckers is already tremendous. Clark’s entry into the league last year saw average Fever attendances nearly double to 15,591 fans per game. Bueckers is now driving a similar surge in Dallas, with Wings ticket sales up 351% since her draft. Premium seats for the highly anticipated June 28 showdown between Bueckers and Clark are selling for as high as $5,200—a new WNBA record.
To honor her debut, Bueckers’ hometown of Hopkins, Minnesota, declared May 16 “Paige Bueckers Day.” She initially thought it was a hoax. “I didn’t believe it at first… But just to be able to give back to that city that’s given me so much, I appreciate it for sure,” she said.
Coincidentally, her WNBA debut on that same day will be against the Minnesota Lynx—her home state’s franchise. A watch party is being organized in Hopkins as the town rallies behind their star.
The pressure is now on. Can Bueckers match Clark’s popularity and production, or will early struggles echo the turnover issues Clark overcame last year? As both stars chart new territory in the league, one thing’s for sure—this is only the beginning of a compelling rivalry.