Dallas Wings star rookie Paige Bueckers and Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark are going to get compared throughout their respective WNBA careers, whether they like it or not.
The reason for this is that these are two generational talents who were consecutive No. 1 picks in the WNBA Draft, shared the National Freshman of the Year award during their first college season, and each has a massive and passionate fan base. Not to mention that both balled out during their rookie season, with Clark securing the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year and Bueckers well on her way to doing so in 2025.
Both Clark and Bueckers are 23 years old, which adds another reason for their getting compared.
Apr 5, 2024; Cleveland, OH, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) react in the second quarter in the semifinals of the Final Four of the womens 2024 NCAA Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
ESPN Ranks Clark Over Bueckers as WNBA’s Best Young Player
ESPN took a side about which of these two stars is the better player right now by listing Clark as the league’s No. 1 best player under 25 years old in an August 27 article.
“Due to injuries, she has been limited to 13 games this season, averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds. But when healthy, Clark’s impact is enormous: She stretches the floor with her shooting range, pushes the pace and picks defenses apart with her passing. The 23-year-old brings an unmatched excitement factor every time she’s on court, and her confidence spreads to the whole team.
“She is also the biggest draw on the road of any WNBA player, so her effect on the entire league is huge,” the article wrote of Clark.
Which WNBA players have the most future potential? Who has the highest ceiling? Our 25 under 25 ranks the best young players in the league. https://t.co/1O8OBBgP3F
— ESPN Women’s Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) August 27, 2025
Bueckers was right behind the Fever star guard at No. 2. When explaining this, the article continued, “Expectations were high for Bueckers entering the pros… In Year 1, she has largely lived up to the hype and is on pace to join Clark as the only players to average 19 points and 5 assists in their rookie season.
“Bueckers’ efficiency has mostly carried over from UConn, with her 46.6% field goal shooting the best of any guard averaging at least 16 points in the league. She has shown the midrange game still has a place in modern basketball, even in 2025. Her crowning achievement came last week when she became the first player to drop 40-plus points in a game on 80% efficiency,” it continued.
As for the rest of the list, Clark’s teammate Aliyah Boston came in at No. 3, then Storm rookie Dominique Malonga, then Sky star Angel Reese. After that came Sonia Citron, Kamilla Cardoso, Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink, and then Kiki Iriafen rounded out the top 10.
ESPN ranks their 25 under 25, the players with the “highest ceiling.”
1. Caitlin Clark
2. Paige Bueckers
3. Aliyah Boston
4. Dominique Malonga
5. Angel Reese
6. Sonia Citron
7. Kamilla Cardoso
8. Rickea Jackson
9. Cameron Brink
10. Kiki Iriafen
What do you think?
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) August 27, 2025
While these rankings have caught quite a stir on social media, most seem to agree that ESPN at least got the top two selections right.
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