Paige Bueckers focused on 'running my own race' amid Caitlin Clark comparisons

Last season, Caitlin Clark took the WNBA by storm after a decorated career at Iowa. The hype built around the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer and viewership surged after the Indiana Fever selected her No. 1 overall in the draft.

Paige Bueckers also arrives in the W as a notable name from her days at UConn. Now a national champion, she received praise as a potential game-changing addition for the Dallas Wings after becoming the top overall selection.

Bueckers isn’t focusing on the comparisons to Clark, though. She’s keeping her eye on the ball, and noted their games are different from one another.

“Yeah, I think, running my own race, not running a race in comparison,” Bueckers told ClutchPoints. “Because in all honesty, I don’t think me and Caitlin play at all alike. But I understand growing up in the same class, the same generation, both guards… I don’t know, but I don’t think we play alike. But also, too, it’s just not worrying about that and like I said, running my own race and staying present every single day. Those comparisons are just media driven, narrative driven. And they’re good for the game in terms of getting people to talk about it and it being a talking point.

“So I’m sure we both have gotten used to it. I used to think about it and internalize it a little bit more, but now working on myself, working on being present and embracing the people around me and just working on getting better every single day has kind of helped me… Just like any comparison to anything, any expectations, any pressures, any external things that people think I have to live up to.”

Inside Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers’ journeys

There are a few parallels between Bueckers and Clark. For starters, they squared off in the Final Four of the 2024 NCAA Tournament – a game which drew 14.2 million viewers, which stood as the record until the ensuing national championship game, as Iowa got the victory. They were also part of the same recruiting class that also featured names such as Angel Reese, Cameron Brink and Kamilla Cardoso.

They both also flourished in the NIL space in college. Clark ended her college career as the face of the game and with a $3.4 million On3 NIL Valuation after a record-setting career in Iowa City. Bueckers also became a pioneer in the landscape, leaving UConn with a $1.5 million On3 NIL Valuation and becoming the first college athlete to receive a player edition shoe through her NIL deal with Nike. The company also has a partnership with Clark.

But when it comes to their on-court games, there are differences. Clark can be either a facilitator or a shooting threat, while Bueckers made her name as a dynamic scorer and by putting in strong work on the defensive end. Their skillsets are different, but they also make an immediate impact on their respective teams as No. 1 overall picks.