College coach Geno Auriemma’s recent comment about Caitlin Clark’s freshman season did not go unnoticed by fans. The UConn Huskies’ legendary coach seemingly downplayed Clark’s impact in her freshman season compared to Paige Bueckers’. He talked about the 2020-21 season, which was played in the bubble.
On “Sports Media with Richard Deitsch,” Auriemma expressed his thoughts on Clark’s college tenure. Comparing her to Bueckers, the coach said:
“So, her freshman year is the same year as Paige’s freshman year, right? They were both freshman, and Paige just dominated the entire game of college basketball. She won every award. Unfortunately, it was in the bubble and not a lot of people got to see it in person, but she won every single award, just like Sarah StronG did this year. … If you would have said, ‘hey, do you know who Caitlin Clark was?’ People would say, ‘no, I don’t. I know Paige Buckers, and I know the kids of South Carolina and I know the guys at Notre Dame. You know I KNOW THOSE guys, but I don’t know Caitlin Clark.'”
Bueckers played under Auriemma, who has taken the Huskies to legendary heights, so he naturally backed his player. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that Bueckers had a larger impact performance-wise in that season, even though Clark (26.6) averaged more points than Bueckers (20.0).
Bueckers’ efficiency was better than Clark’s. Moreover, the Wings guard had an impact on both sides of the court and had fewer turnovers. The 2020-21 season awards were highly debated.
Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers are the new rising rivalry in the WNBA
Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have faced each other four times in their career and have split the head-to-head 2-2.
They faced each other in the WNBA season opener, which the Indiana Fever lost 104-107. Both guards scored 20 points, but Kelsey Mitchell missed the game-winner, and Bueckers began the rivalry on a positive note.
The two teams are due to play each other one more time this season in August. Meanwhile, the Wings guard is leading the team in points (20.3) and assists (6.1) this season. Caitlin Clark, on the other hand, is out due to back issues, and there is no set timeline for her return.
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