winning and losing team<\/a> \u2014 eight were players in their first three WNBA seasons, and neither Clark nor Bueckers were among them.<\/p>\nThis is not to say Bueckers and Clark didn\u2019t deliver. Both players put up 20 points during their faceoff, but were outscored by teammates Arike Ogunbowale and Kelsey Mitchell, who tallied 22 and 30 points, respectively. Instead, the weekend served as a reminder that the debate over the future stars of the WNBA is not one or two-player conversation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When it comes to the WNBA, the kids are all right<\/p>\n
The Washington Mystic\u2019s Sonia Citron put up 26 against the Toronto Tempo. Janelle Salaun notched 20 points against the Seattle Storm and 21 against the Phoenix Mercury. Center Dominique Malonga recorded 21 points against the Golden State Valkyries, and Carla Leite added 18 against the Chicago Sky.<\/p>\n
Though Azzi Fudd might not have had the most flashy opening weekend, Olivia Miles showed up immediately, dropping 21 points against the Atlanta Dream.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aneesah Morrow delivered one of the most productive performances of the weekend: 15 points against the New York Liberty, then a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double against Seattle. As if to challenge Morrow, Kamilla Cardoso posted a 22-point, 14-rebound double-double against the Portland Fire, continuing the growth she showed late last season, and Kiki Iriafen produced two double-doubles of her own: 12 points and 16 rebounds against the Tempo, followed by 20 points and 12 rebounds against the Liberty.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
It is undeniable that both Clark and Bueckers helped the league grow. There was an obvious boom in viewership and TV ratings that accompanied Caitlin Clark\u2019s rookie season, as well as the anticipation surrounding Bueckers\u2019 arrival after winning the national championship at UConn. Both are central figures in the WNBA\u2019s growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yet opening weekend highlighted that the WNBA does not have to rely on one narrative. There are more players to build rivalries around. Though Clark and Bueckers may continue to dominate headlines, they are not the only ones dominating on the court.\u00a0<\/p>\n
More WNBA news and analysis:![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\")
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