Caitlin Clark's rival Paige Bueckers believes fans admire the Indiana Fever star's immense mentality more than her basketball game.
While Clark has become one of the most popular athletes in the United States, Bueckers has also been riding on the recent wave of popularity in women's basketball. Fans also have a particular interest in the 23-year-old, as she is often seen as the closest match to Clark in terms of quality, position and physicality.
As a result, WNBA fans and the sporting media believe a rivalry has been building up between the former University of Iowa and UConn Huskies stars. Despite their competitiveness, Bueckers respects Clark's quality and mentality.
In a recent interview, Bueckers said: "We've known each other for a very long time. We've been competing against and with each other for a very long time. … I mean Caitlin's a competitor, she's a winner. She's a great basketball player, everybody sees it.
"She does so much for the game. And she's the best scorer college basketball has ever seen. But I think she's so much more than a scorer. I think the best thing about her is her competitive spirit and her fire, her passion, her joy for the game. Everybody loves watching it."
Bueckers added: “She's just a competitor. She wants to win. She has just intangibles of the game. She knows how to play, a great IQ. I think the biggest thing about her is she competes and she's just a winner. She wants to win at all costs.”
In all aspects, Bueckers appears to be the perfect adversary for Clark. Both players are 6-foot point guards and have competed with each other on a domestic and international basis. While Clark has managed to scoop up two Naismith Player of the Year awards, Bueckers was the first-ever freshman to win the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, AP Player of the Year and USBWA Player of the Year in 2021.
Buecker will play in the WNBA next year, where she will be pitted against Clark. She will find out who she will be representing at the WNBA Draft in April 2025. Considering her previous thoughts, she is looking forward to squaring up against Bueckers again.
In a past interview, Clark said: “I think the coolest thing about Paige is how resilient she is. Obviously she's been kind of dealt a tough hand and only has positive things to say about her teammates. And the way she carries herself on and off the court and the way she works hard, none of that has changed.
“Since I've known her since she was in middle school she's always worked that same way, always had that fire and been a leader. I really honestly couldn't be happier for her for the year she's had and the way she's led this team back to the Final Four when they've dealt a tough hand as a program.
"Her game is just so smooth, like she's fun to watch. She moves effortlessly out there like it's just so natural. It comes easy to her but that's always been her game as long as I've known her. She's just very naturally gifted and then she additionally works really hard at it and that makes a great recipe for success.”
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