Analyst makes bold Steph Curry-LeBron James comparison to breakdown Caitlin Clark-Paige Bueckers rivalry

ESPN anchor Elle Duncan on Tuesday’s episode of her show compared the rivalry between women’s basketball stars Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers to the dynamic between NBA superstars Steph Curry and LeBron James.

During an episode of “The Elle Duncan Show,” Duncan and her cohost Gary Striewski discussed the unique stardoms of Clark and Bueckers and their respective impacts on the game.

“Steph and Caitlin are much more similar. And I would say that Paige and LeBron are much more similar in terms of efficiency, the defensive part of it, like the well-roundedness of the game. But that doesn't take away from the legacy player that Steph is.” she said (10:00 mark).

“And I think similarly what Steph was able to do, which is what Caitlin's been able to do for a lot of young girls is they see themselves in her. You don't have to be 6-foot-8. You don't have to look — you know, Caitlin's as athletic as they come — but you don't have to look necessarily the part”

Caitlin Clark quickly made her mark in the WNBA, earning First Team All-WNBA honors, winning Rookie of the Year and setting records for assists and 3-point shooting.

In their final college matchup, Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes edged out Bueckers’ UConn Huskies in a thrilling Final Four game, 71-69. Clark tallied 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Bueckers contributed 17 points.

Elle Duncan commends Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers for how they handle pressure

Despite their young ages, Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have become two of the most recognizable names in basketball. Duncan praised their ability to handle the pressure that comes with their prominence.

“I think in terms of both of them, when I think about the similarities of Paige and Caitlin, their games couldn't be more different,” Duncan said.

“But I think in terms of how they internalize all this attention, how they handle the moment, how they know that they are front-facing public figures but … show up for their teammates and then how they handle all of this, I think is really remarkable and something that we probably don't talk about enough.”

Clark’s rookie WNBA season has not been without controversy, particularly due to her rivalry with fellow rookie Angel Reese. Even the league commissioner said the WNBA benefitted from the racial undertones of their rivalry, while some players have expressed frustration over the influx of fans Clark brought to the league.