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 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. On the other hand, Bueckers is enjoying her fourth season with the Huskies and has averaged 19.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game in her Huskies career.
The 23-year-old point guard has officially declared for the WNBA Draft, and multiple teams are vying to have her on their roster. Even if her outspokenness has held her back from reaching Clark’s nuclear levels of fame, like Clark was last year, Bueckers is expected to be the first overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.