BREAKING NEWS: Paige Bueckers has Being Treated Differently Than Caitlin Clark During WNBA Debut. Now Caitlin Clark send a dismissed message to WNBA

On Friday, Paige Bueckers stepped onto a WNBA court for the first time, starting for the Dallas Wings in a matchup against the Aces held in South Bend, Indiana.

Following an illustrious high school career and a national championship win at UConn, Bueckers enters the league with sky-high expectations.

Naturally, she’s already being compared to last season’s WNBA Rookie of the Year, Caitlin Clark, who made waves with an outstanding debut season. However, fans have quickly pointed out a notable contrast: the way defenses are approaching Bueckers versus how they initially handled Clark.

Right from the tip-off, it was clear Bueckers wasn’t facing the same intense pressure—no blitzes, no full-court defense, no relentless in-your-face coverage. Fans certainly took notice.

 

“They definitely aren’t defending her as aggressively as they did Caitlin,” one fan noted.

“That’s because teams don’t see her as a real threat. Even though everyone’s hyping her up like she’s something special,” another commented.

“She’s got a clear path and still can’t make a play. Why can’t they give Clark this kind of room?” someone else added.

“She’s being left wide open,” another fan observed.

“And she’s still getting outplayed by the other rookie. I’d start A. James over her any day,” a commenter wrote.

“I’ve always noticed that. No full-court pressure, no aggressive defense at all,” one fan pointed out.

There’s a growing sentiment that Bueckers is being treated very differently on the court — possibly with less respect. Whether it’s the game plans, the defensive approach, or just a shift from the intense attention Clark faced last season, it was clear from Game 1 that these two rising stars had very different experiences.

The Las Vegas Aces eventually pulled away for a dominant 112-78 win. Dallas held a narrow 25-23 lead after the first quarter, but the Aces took over in the second and third, outscoring the Wings 64-38 during that stretch.

Bueckers wrapped up her debut with 10 points, four rebounds, and one assist. She had an efficient outing, hitting 4-of-7 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep in 22 minutes.