Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark are two of the most electrifying talents in the WNBA today. These stars have been compared since their freshman seasons in college during the 2019–20 campaign.
With both players gaining national attention, one NBA analyst recently made his case for which of the two he believes will rise above the other.
Colin Cowherd Compares Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers
During a May 28 episode of “The Herd”, Fox analyst Colin Cowherd made a bold statement while discussing Bueckers’ potential impact on the WNBA in comparison to Clark’s quick rise to professional stardom.
“There’s an argument that Paige Bueckers will be the better player.”@ColinCowherd discusses how Paige Bueckers’ potential impact on the WNBA compares to Caitlin Clark. pic.twitter.com/LpBMBcn1jJ
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 28, 2025
“Paige Bueckers — she’ll become the best player in the league for sure. She’s not the playmaker that Caitlin Clark is, but she’s the better pure scorer,” Cowherd said.
He added, “So it’s very possible that in back-to-back years, we’ve seen the two most popular WNBA players ever enter the league. It’s similar to what happened with Magic [Johnson] and Larry [Bird] in the NBA — different players, big brands. Paige Bueckers may never be quite as popular, partly because of her path and partly because Caitlin Clark has such a unique game — she’s pulling up from 38 feet. Caitlin Clark is more of a comet.”
He wrapped up by saying, “But if you’re talking about who’s the better player, there’s an argument that Paige Bueckers will be the better player.”
It’s far too early in either of their careers to say who will emerge as the better pro definitively. Still, Cowherd makes a valid — if bold — point: Bueckers’ all-around game may ultimately give her the edge over Clark.
From College Foes to WNBA Pros
Bueckers was selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings. Clark took the same path to the WNBA a year earlier, going first overall in the 2024 draft to the Indiana Fever.
The first time these two stars faced off was in the 2021 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Bueckers’ No. 1-seeded UConn Huskies defeated Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in a 20-point blowout before advancing to the Final Four, where they lost to Baylor.
Despite being freshmen at the time, both Clark and Bueckers played major roles for their respective teams. Bueckers flirted with a triple-double, showcasing her all-around game with 18 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Clark, meanwhile, displayed her scoring prowess with 21 points, three rebounds, and two assists.
In 2024, the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer got her payback. Clark and Iowa edged out UConn 71–69 in the Final Four. Clark scored 21 points, including clutch 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, while Bueckers contributed 17 points.
Those two matchups are the only times the rising WNBA stars have faced each other, so far. However, fans will have to wait a bit longer for their next showdown, as Clark is currently sidelined for at least two weeks (possibly more) with a quad injury.
The Fever are scheduled to visit the Wings on June 27. Let’s hope the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year is healthy in time so we can witness another highly anticipated duel between two of the game’s brightest young stars.
