Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clarks rivalry has created record-breaking amounts of views and speculation.
Despite their rivalry being hyped up by the media, many fans say that Bueckers surpasses Clark with her proficiency in both offense and defense.
SLAM Magazine’s first-ever female high school athlete to grace the cover was Bueckers.
Since the magazine’s 1994 debut, only a few women—such as current WNBA Champion Candace Parker and Former UConn Athlete Maya Moore—have been featured on the cover, according to SB Nation.
Bueckers entered highschool, immediately creating buzz, later becoming the #1 recruit for College Basketball.
“I like how she can switch from game mode to off the court being the kindest person,” Sophomore Emaya Johnson said.
She became the first freshman to earn the Naismith Player of the Year Award, an implausible achievement, regarded as the highest accolade in NCAA basketball.
Because of this, when Buckers entered college she had a mass following behind her, growing each year.
“Paige is better because her defense is better than Caitlins, she’s more efficient with shooting and is a better team leader. When Caitlin misses a shot, she gets in her head but Paige stays in the game,” Junior Kaden Lawrence said.
Furthermore, Bueckers uses her platform to speak out against important topics like racism and police brutality.
“As a white woman who leads a Black-led sport, I want to shed a light on Black women. They don’t get the media coverage they deserve. They’ve given so much to this sport, the community, and society as a whole, and their value is undeniable,” Bueckers said on the ESPYS stage.
Clark fans argue her being better than Bueckers, due to Iowa’s significant victory over UConn.
However, the big win doesn’t mean Clark is the superior player.
Clark occasionally runs into foul trouble, which reduces her playing time and efficiency.
Clark has experienced breakdowns as a result of her defensive lapses, because of her poor decisions under pressure.
Although both players have exceptional numbers overall in women’s basketball, many would concur that Bueckers impact stood out the most. “I think that confidence level, most of it is real,” Coach Geno Auriemma said, “Some people, they’re faking it. She’s not faking it.”
After Clark and Bueckers’ big game, Clark was drafted to Indiana Fever, along with her teammate Kate Martin.
With Clark now out of the game, fans say Bueckers is guaranteed to take home the National Championship.
In addition, Bueckers is expected to be the #1 pick for the WNBA draft in 2025.
“Part of me thinks it was God calling me to use this,” Bueckers said.
“I feel like I’m just gonna have a great story to tell by the end of it.”
All in all, the debate of which player is better is entirely opinionated, though from the performance we’ve seen so far, Bueckers talent is undeniable.