Paige Bueckers Shares Thoughts on First WNBA Matchup Against Caitlin Clark

Editor's Note: This story was published before Caitlin Clark was officially ruled out of Friday's matchup between the Fever and Wings due to a groin injury.

The two most recent WNBA No. 1 picks are scheduled to face off on Friday as the Dallas Wings host the Indiana Fever. Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers are the most recent top picks in the draft, and are two of the best young players in the league overall. They are set to play against each other for the first time as pros.

The former Iowa and UConn standouts faced off against each other multiple times in college, most recently in the 2024 NCAA Final Four. In that game, Iowa narrowly defeated UConn 71-69 as Clark put up 21 points while Bueckers scored 17. Clark and the Hawkeyes went on to lose in the national championship game before Clark left for the WNBA draft. Bueckers went on to win a national title the following year.

Ahead of their first game against each other as pros, Bueckers shared her thoughts on what it means to go up against Clark.

"The competition brings about greatness out of the athletes," Bueckers said on the MavsTV Draft Show. "I think competition is the best form of respect. You just try to bring greatness out of each other. We both know it's not Paige vs. Caitlin, it's the Fever vs. the Wings. To be able to play under the spotlight, in this arena, on TV, to showcase what it's like to be a part of women's basketball and how amazing it is to watch right now. A lot of people will tune in for the rivalry, for the individuals, but will end up loving it as a team sport and end up loving and being fans of so many other athletes. It's fun, we enjoy competing against each other, so it's exciting."

There is a chance that Bueckers and Clark do not face each other for the first time in the WNBA on Friday since Clark is dealing with a groin injury. Clark did not play in the Fever's loss on Thursday, but her status for Friday has yet to be announced.

If Clark is able to play, she will look to reverse some of her recent shooting woes. Clark has made just one three-pointer in each of her last three games, and only scored six points in her last game, a season-low.

Meanwhile, Bueckers and the Wings have been trending upward. After losing seven of her first eight games, she and the Wings have won three of the last four, and Bueckers has scored 20 or more points in three of the last four. The Wings still rank last in the Western Conference, but getting a win over the Fever could be an early statement for Dallas.