Why Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson can replicate the Steph Curry-LeBron James rivalry in WNBA

In just her first season, Caitlin Clark has proven she's going to be a top player in the WNBA for a long time. Based on her current trajectory, it won't be long before she is in the conversation with the rest of the league's elite talents.

Throughout the season, Clark's main rival has been Angel Reese. However, new names will be thrown into the mix as she continues to grow her game. A'ja Wilson is one player Clark will likely be going head-to-head with for years to come.

Wilson is already an established superstar in the WNBA with multiple MVPs and championships on her resume. That said, she is still near the start of her prime at 28 years old. With that in mind, these two should be mainstays in debates for individual honors such as the MVP award.

Looking to the future, could this potential rivalry stack up to one of the biggest in the modern NBA?

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Can a Caitlin Clark-A'ja Wilson rivalry match LeBron James vs Steph Curry?

Surpassing it will be a tall task, but a Caitlin Clark-A'ja Wilson rivalry could come close to matching that of LeBron James and Steph Curry. There are a lot of similar factors, along with something that might favor the WNBA stars.

When Curry entered the league as a promising sharpshooter, James was already established as a superstar. Things are similar with Clark, as Wilson has built up a rap sheet comparable to an all-time great. Any future meeting between these two will symbolize a passing of the torch, similar to the battles between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Another similarity is that Caitlin Clark and Wilson are both in or near their prime just like when James and Curry went to battle. This could result in a series of matchups that would keep WNBA fans hooked for a lot of years.

There is one thing that a Clark-Wilson rivalry would have a one-up on against James vs Curry: the current state of the WNBA.

When LeBron James and Steph Curry had their battles in the finals, it was another chapter in a long list of storied rivalries. However, Caitlin Clark and A'ja Wilson could kick off a new and promising era for the WNBA.

In recent years, the WNBA has seen a steady increase in viewership and popularity. Things have continued to grow at a rapid rate since Clark entered the fray. With all the new fans and coverage around the sport, a Clark-Wilson saga could push the WNBA into a golden age for the league.

It's clear that Clark is going to be a pillar for the WNBA moving forward. Having a fellow superstar-level talent rival her would do wonders from a marketing standpoint. Similar to how the LeBron-Steph rivalry was the focal point of a decade for the NBA, this could be the same for the WNBA.

There's no denying that Clark and Wilson are talented enough to put on a show in any head-to-head meeting. The question is if things will fall in place for them to do battle on the game's biggest stage to build a worthwhile rivalry.

It's worth noting that the seeds for this rivalry could be planted very soon. As it stands, Caitlin Clark and the Fever are in sixth place in the standings. If they can climb to fifth or the Aces jump to fourth, the two stars will face off in the first round of the 2024 playoffs.