Caitlin Clark has reshaped the world’s perspective on the WNBA, becoming a key figure in giving women’s basketball a stronger platform. However, a similar hype once surrounded UConn standout guard Paige Bueckers, though, as former NBA forward Etan Thomas explains, that hype hasn’t fully materialized.
Paige Bueckers’ Outspoken Nature Holds Her Back, Says Ex-NBA Player
Bueckers has dominated women’s college basketball for several years, but Clark’s move to the WNBA has given her even more of the spotlight. While she is still at the forefront of women’s college basketball, she has not reached the same front-page support that Clark received at Iowa.
Thomas, a former NBA center, argues that Bueckers’ outspoken nature on sensitive topics has turned off some in the mainstream.
“Perhaps it’s because, unlike Clark, Bueckers has always been outspoken about issues off the court,” Thomas wrote in an article on The Guardian. “At the 2021 ESPYs, Bueckers was named the college athlete of the year. She used her acceptance speech to celebrate and honor Black women in particular.”
At her 2021 ESPY speech, Bueckers used the opportunity to highlight the contributions of Black women in her sport and push for more media attention on them. Additionally, Bueckers has consistently used her platform to advocate for larger social issues.
“While Black America cheered Bueckers, it seemed like mainstream, white America – a demographic that once viewed her as, in her words, a ‘media darling’ – weren’t singing her praises quite as much. And still don’t,” Thomas added.
“Is this a coincidence? Or maybe because her injuries have made people forget her greatness as an athlete? Possibly.”
“But she’s back from injury now, so why aren’t people as focused on Bueckers as they were on Clark last season when she was tearing up college basketball? Maybe if Bueckers had delivered a more vanilla ESPYs speech, things would have been different.”
In her four years at Iowa, Clark averaged 28.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. Bueckers recently averaged 24.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists during the NCAA Tournament, leading UConn to the national championship.
Now, Bueckers is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
In PFSN’s 2025 WNBA Mock Draft, here’s what Brandon Austin wrote about the phenom: “Bueckers is the unquestioned top prospect in the 2025 WNBA Draft, and she further solidified this during UConn’s impressive title run, flashing her elite playmaking ability.
“Bueckers can take over a game at any time, as evidenced by her three 30-plus point performances during the tournament. She can score at all three levels and create offense not only for herself but also for her teammates. She possesses great size for a guard and shows tenacity on the defensive end of the floor.
“Bueckers has the natural gifts to be a legitimate two-way player in the WNBA, and she gives the Dallas Wings a dynamic backcourt. Arike Ogunbowale is one of the league’s premier scorers (22.2 PPG last season). Bueckers can be the primary ball-handler, which will allow Ogunbowale to play her natural position and do what she does best.”
It’s also true that page is queer, which was not included in the article.