“A lot of us, me and Caitlin even played together on the Junior Olympic level when we were younger, we were in high school, and it was always a fun time,\u201d Bueckers said.<\/p>\n
Bueckers said that with how both of their careers have advanced, with Clark playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes and Bueckers playing for the UConn Huskies before also ending up playing for different WNBA teams, they knew their paths would continue to cross.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Oct 6, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers looks on during the second quarter between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Dickie’s Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images \/ Jerome Miron-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s crazy because everyone\u2019s pitting me and Caitlin against each other for the longest time,” Bueckers said. “And we\u2019re cool, we\u2019re friends. But again, it\u2019s respect to the competition, so we understand that.”<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Dallas Wings Star Paige Bueckers Lists WNBA, NBA Legend Comparisons She Prefers<\/a><\/p>\n Bueckers said she also understands the nature of sports media these days, so some storylines may get misconstrued, which she argued is the case when discussing Clark.<\/p>\n “We understand how media works and how they want to pit two people against each other and they\u2019re supposed to hate each other, and blah blah blah,” Bueckers said. “So we all understand that, and it\u2019s all in the love of the game.”<\/p>\n Bueckers said she recognizes the vitriol between Wings and Fever fans, but doesn’t let it bother her when she plays against them.<\/p>\n \u201cBut at the same time, to have two fanbases that really hate each other have to come together for a couple months will be really fun,” Bueckers said. “Everybody will just have to get along for a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n With the upcoming WNBA season looming, women’s basketball fans will get an early present when the Fever open their season against the Wings.<\/a><\/p>\n While Bueckers didn’t comment on the matchup directly, she did attempt to pitch the pros of why Clark joining Unrivaled would be good for her career. Whether it’s simply improving her on-court presence and skills, adapting to playing with new teammates, or occasional traveling, much seems possible.<\/p>\n The first of three matchups is May 9,<\/a> as the Wings head to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.<\/p>\n