'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Paige Bueckers finally won an NCAA championship with an unexpectedly easy 82-59 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday. The UConn Huskies dominated the game from start to finish to secure the 12th national championship in Geno Auriemma's Hall of Fame career.
Trending
This time around, Bueckers didn't need to be the Huskies' top scorer. Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, both with 24 points, led the way for Connecticut. Bueckers contributed 17 points (5-of-14 shooting), six rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks.
The next chapter in her basketball journey will be the WNBA, where she's expected to be selected with the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft. Fans took the chance to predict that Bueckers will rival Caitlin Clark in the W.
"Congrats to Paige and UConn!! Now she can go to the WNBA and be Caitlin Clark’s second rival behind Angel Reese," one fan said.
"She might be the Jesus to Caitlin Clark’s John the Baptist tbh," another fan said.
"Paige is gonna be Clark’s only rival in the WNBA," another fan added.
Others kept mentioning Angel Reese and claiming there's a difference between Bueckers and Clark's impact off the court.
"This is all well and good, but in a few weeks Bueckers is going to get drafted into the WNBA and she isn't going to be the focal point. I think she's the better player but Caitlin Clark draws the crowds and the TV audience," one fan said.
"Angel Reese already fuming another white girl is getting all the spotlight in the WNBA," another fan said.
"all that and she doesn’t draw anything like Caitlin Clark," another fan said.
Paige Bueckers' tweet praising Caitlin Clark's soccer performance resurfaced
Plenty of fans of Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark have pushed a narrative suggesting that the Iowa Hawkeyes icon and the UConn Huskies legend are bitter rivals. They were shocked after learning that Bueckers actually hyped up Clark's six-goal performance back in 2017.
"6 goals 😅 basketball or soccer? smh that's crazy 👏🏻@caitlinclark22," Bueckers tweeted in 2017.
"haha bball beball bball 😻 thanks bro😊," Clark responded.
Many fans vowed to stop pitting them against each other, but now that Paige Bueckers is WNBA-bound, the old thoughts have resurfaced, with some going with Clark and others with Bueckers.
Bueckers beat Clark in their first college duel in 2021, 92-72. On April 5, 2024, Clark (21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists) took down Bueckers' Huskies in the Final Four 71-69 to advance to the championship game.
