Paige Bueckers has caught the eyes of the WNBA world, beginning the season on a positive note. In their last game against the Washington Mystics, the Dallas Wings had a blowout win, 92-69, in which the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year led the offense with 18 points and seven assists. Former ESPN journalist Jason Whitlock shared a bold prediction about Bueckers’ future in the league.
Before the season began, the Fever’s new offensive setup of letting Clark play off the ball was called out by fans and analysts. While Clark has found a way to perform even with a new strategy, the results haven’t followed.
The analyst compared Bueckers’ trajectory this season to Caitlin Clark’s form thus far and stated that while the Wings have committed to Bueckers, the Indiana Fever has not shown the same trust in Clark. In a video on X, Whitlock said:
“Paige Bueckers is a major problem. She is going to be the rival of Caitlin Clark because the Indiana Fever won’t do what’s right by Caitlin Clark, and the Dallas Wings are doing everything to support Paige Bueckers.”
Even though Jose Fernandez’s decision to bring Azzi Fudd off the bench was criticized heavily in the WNBA world, she is getting comfortable with time. In the last game, she led the bench with 12 points, three assists, and one steal, mainly because Odyssey Sims was in foul trouble early and played just 16 minutes.
Fudd capitalized on the opportunity and showed what she was capable of on both ends of the floor, if given a chance in the starting lineup. However, the Fever struggled against the Mystics and lost a close overtime thriller, 102-104. Notably, Clark had a massive game with 32 points and 10 assists in 37 minutes.
Can Paige Bueckers win a title before Caitlin Clark?
Jason Whitlock seemed convinced by the idea of Paige Bueckers enjoying a better season than Caitlin Clark. Moreover, the Wings’ offensive strategy seems to be working better than the Fever’s. There has been some friction between Fever head coach Stephanie White and Clark, which has not impacted the team positively in the last few games.
Clark returned to the court after missing the last season due to a groin injury. She struggled initially with her efficiency after her return to the league, but she shot 5-10 from the field against the Seattle Storm to lead the Fever to victory, 89-78. However, as Whitlock said, the locker room situation and the chemistry in the Fever’s offense haven’t seemed seamless thus far.
Moreover, the helping crew of the Wings seems to be better connected with Bueckers, and the Fudd chemistry is just unbelievable. On the other hand, there have been major conversations about Raven Johnson’s relationship with Clark since their college days. This might surely create a difference between the two squads. Only time will tell who gets to touch the trophy first.
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