WNBA GM's Doubt Paige Bueckers Can Compete With Caitlin Clark's Rookie Impact

Several WNBA GMs believe that while Paige Bueckers' WNBA rookie ceiling is elite, it can't compare with a certain Indiana Fever superstar.

Apr 5, 2024; Cleveland, OH, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) react in the second quarter in the semifinals of the Final Four of the womens 2024 NCAA Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark have been getting compared even since their freshman seasons in the NCAA, when Bueckers won the Naismith Trophy (given to the best player in women's college basketball each season) despite both she and Clark being co-winners for the National Freshman of the Year Award.

These comparisons aren't going anywhere anytime soon, especially after Bueckers was drafted No. 1 overall in Monday's WNBA Draft to the Dallas Wings, nearly exactly one year since Clark went first overall to the Indiana Fever.

Bueckers is both a generational talent and a massive superstar. However, several anonymous WNBA GMs don't believe she can quite match Clark's immediate impact as a rookie, which was conveyed by quotes in an April 16 article from ESPN's Alexa Philippou.

"She's not Caitlin Clark, she's built differently, but she can make people better, and she's hypercompetitive and she can get to her spots at the same time," one GM said of Bueckers. "And she's going to have even more weapons around her in our league, so her playmaking will be even more on display."

Another added, "It's just really hard to impact the game as a rookie. What Caitlin did last year is so special and unique. Paige is a special player... I think she'll be a good player this year, but I'm not expecting a Caitlin-like impact. And that's an unfair bar to set."

When assessing Bueckers' long-term ceiling in the WNBA, a third GM said, "I think she has an MVP ceiling. I don't think it's as apparent as like A'ja [Wilson] or Caitlin was coming out, but I think it's right behind them."

WNBA GMs anonymously weigh in on what to expect from Paige Bueckers in Dallas — and her long-term ceiling https://t.co/vpWgauyktk

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) April 16, 2025

It's unfair to compare Bueckers (or anybody else) with Clark. Therefore, as hard as it may be, fans would be wise to simply enjoy seeing both reach their own degrees of greatness.