Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers has set the record straight about how she truly feels concerning having to play against some of the WNBA’s biggest stars, which includes the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark.<\/p>\n
At least for now, Bueckers hasn’t had to play Clark for a good bit, as Bueckers is currently playing in the Unrivaled League for Breeze BC.<\/p>\n
Bueckers said there is another WNBA star, Kelsey Mitchell, who said she’s had to get used to guarding despite the season having gotten underway fairly recently.<\/p>\n
“She’s so herky-jerky, quick and unpredictable,”\u00a0Bueckers told Kylie Kelce on a recent episode of the “Not Gonna Lie” podcast.<\/a> “[She has] speed and athleticism, but can shoot. Everything is tough to guard.”<\/p>\n This may end up being a good thing for Bueckers as she awaits her second WNBA season later this spring, which will give her a chance to continue to grow and develop in all aspects.<\/p>\n “This is a 3-on-3 experience,” Bueckers said. “The length of the court is smaller. It’s seven-minute quarters. We play to a target score. So, at the end of the third quarter, it’s +11 for whoever has the highest score. So, you’re not playing till the buzzer. You’re playing until that person, or that team, reaches that score.”<\/p>\n So, Bueckers’ comments are valid when it comes to playing on a smaller court, but the fact of the matter remains that she has to adapt both ways, which she clearly is doing.<\/p>\n “It’s a great hub to have [in] the offseason,” Bueckers said of Unrivaled. “And I think, in the offseason, the best way to get better [at basketball] is to play. And this provides different opportunities in practice and games to play, to get better, to get your conditioning in, to get your lifting in. I just think, it’s like, the best-of-the-best here.”<\/p>\n Seeing Bueckers admit how comfortable she is in her new environment is a sign of mature growth. Not everyone could take the same leap of faith she did this off-season, and it appears to be paying off.<\/p>\n Bueckers said she’s excited for what’s next.<\/p>\n “I think just women supporting women,” Bueckers said. “I’ve been blessed with this platform and to be able to have a voice and have followers on social media. For me, last year was like more of like an ambassador role where I was like advocating for the league [WNBA], telling people when to watch. Sort of just carrying the momentum of trying to get more people to tune in and learn about it.”<\/p>\n