With the WNBA draft lottery now concluded and the Dallas Wings securing the top pick for 2025, basketball fans are eagerly anticipating UConn star Paige Bueckers’ potential leap to the professional stage.

Bueckers following on Caitlin Clark’s footsteps

Widely regarded as the next face of women’s basketball, Bueckers took a moment to reflect on the player who has set the standard: Caitlin Clark.

Clark, now a sophomore guard for the Indiana Fever, left an indelible mark on the college game, finishing her Iowa career as the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer with 3,951 points.

Her first WNBA season saw her breaking records, leading the Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016.

Speaking to Fox Sports, Bueckers praised Clark’s contributions to the sport.

“Caitlin brought so much new attention to the rise in women’s college basketball and the WNBA, and women’s sports in general,” she said.

“I feel like the weight of the world is on her shoulders, and she just has this heavy burden to carry, and she does it with grace and humility.”

The two guards faced off for the final time in the 2024 NCAA Final Four, a game that saw Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes edge out Bueckers’ UConn Huskies in a thrilling 71-69 battle.

Both players delivered standout performances, further cementing their legacies.

As the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, Bueckers is expected to follow Clark in elevating the sport’s profile.

However, she remains focused on the bigger picture.

“I think it’s more important for the game to share the spotlight,”Bueckers said last April.

“I honestly hope next year I’m not the focal point and the only person that gets attention. I hope as media, as players, we can spread the love a little bit more.”

Nicknamed “Paige Buckets” for her scoring prowess, Bueckers has been a dominant force throughout her UConn career, averaging 19.9 points per game.

With accolades including multiple Final Four appearances and All-Tournament Team selections, she has proven herself on the sport’s biggest stages.

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Should Bueckers declare for the draft, the Dallas Wings will have the opportunity to add another generational talent to their roster.

As the torch passes from one star to another, the future of women’s basketball looks brighter than ever.