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Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers Shared Nice Moment Before First WNBA Showdown

Andy Nesbitt

Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers are squaring off for the first time in the WNBA on Sunday.
Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers are squaring off for the first time in the WNBA on Sunday. / @WNBA
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Two of the WNBA's brightest young stars are squaring off for the first time at the professional level on Sunday as Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever are hosting Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Clark and Bueckers faced off twice during their college careers, with UConn beating Iowa in the 2021 Sweet Sixteen and Iowa beating UConn in the 2024 Final Four.

Clark had this to say about Bueckers before the game: “We’ve always been friends. I wouldn’t say we’re best friends and talk all the time. It’s hard when you end up going your separate ways and are at different colleges...I’ve always been a fan of hers and always been supportive.”

The stars, who have been the last two No. 1 overall picks in the WNBA draft, shared a nice moment before tipoff:

Clark then didn't take long to hit a deep three-pointer:

Bueckers later added one of her own from deep:

This should be a fun one in Indy.

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Andy Nesbitt
ANDY NESBITT

Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.

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