Let’s set the stage: the WNBA draft lottery is coming up on Nov. 17, and the basketball world is buzzing louder than a malfunctioning scoreboard. The center of attention? None other than UConn’s star guard Paige Bueckers. You’d think a player projected to be the top pick would get nothing but love, right? Wrong! In a wild twist, fans on social media have unleashed their best takes comparing her to—who else—Caitlin Clark, the WNBA’s reigning “generational” phenom.
Bueckers, who decided to stay in college for one last hurrah, is being positioned to take Clark’s top spot in the 2025 WNBA Draft. But some fans aren’t exactly buying the hype—and they’re not being subtle about it. Clark, the No. 1 pick in 2024 and the Indiana Fever’s ticket to record-breaking viewership and attendance, is the measuring stick for Bueckers. And according to fans, Paige is coming up… well, “Not even close!”
Fan Fury: “Paige is Good, But Clark is Different”
The internet, of course, never fails to entertain. Fans have taken to X/Twitter (or whatever we’re calling it these days) to voice their not-so-humble opinions about this player comparison. Spoiler alert: it’s brutal out there for Bueckers.
One fan didn’t hold back, declaring, “Agree. Paige is good, but we’ve seen good players before. Nobody accomplished what all Clark did, how she did it before. Not even close.”
Ouch. If that wasn’t enough, another basketball die-hard added a poetic touch: “The impact Clark has on this era of women’s basketball… we will never see again.”
You’d think Clark invented basketball with the way people are talking, but to be fair, her case isn’t exactly weak. In her rookie year, Clark has already made headlines beyond the basketball world. Non-basketball fans? Check. Skyrocketing attendance and ratings? Double-check. “She put the WNBA on the radar screen of the sports world,” one fan said, basically cementing Clark’s status as the LeBron, Wembanyama, or Mahomes of women’s hoops.
Meanwhile, Bueckers? Well, some think she’s more of the good variety—like “good soup,” but not Michelin-star level. “Paige just doesn’t have the draw or the impact that Caitlin has,” another fan wrote, driving home the point with all the subtlety of a fast break dunk.
The Verdict: A Bueckers Redemption Arc?
Of course, not all hope is lost for Paige. Some fans are willing to let her make her case—once she gets to the WNBA, that is. “If Paige and JuJu can do what Clark has done in the WNBA, then we can have this debate,” one generous commenter said, allowing the possibility that Bueckers still has some time to prove her critics wrong.
But for now, Caitlin Clark is the queen of the court, and Paige Bueckers is waiting in line to pay her respects. Sure, Paige has been exceptional at the college level, but can she deliver in the pros? Until she drops jaws in the WNBA, the consensus remains clear: Clark is the generational talent, and Bueckers is playing catch-up. No pressure, though.
Will Paige Bueckers Even Get Drafted by the Fever?
Now, here’s a juicy subplot for those still following along: Paige Bueckers won’t even be heading to Indiana, where Clark is already drawing more fans than a Beyoncé concert. Why? Because the Fever are stuck with the eighth pick in the 2025 draft. That means the Bueckers lottery is coming down to four teams: the LA Sparks (with a 44.2% chance to win the No. 1 pick), the Dallas Wings, the Chicago Sky, and the Washington Mystics.
Whoever gets the first pick will likely scoop up Bueckers faster than you can say, “mock draft.” As for the Fever? Well, they’ll just have to keep watching Clark carry the team to new heights—and possibly shatter a few more records while they’re at it.
So, while Paige Bueckers might have fans scratching their heads over comparisons to Caitlin Clark, all eyes will be on the WNBA draft to see where this storyline heads next. One thing’s for sure: this debate is far from over—and it’s only going to get spicier.
