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Games between Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers always seem to gain attention, but it has become a little bit more unusual since both arrived in the WNBA within the last few seasons.
Bueckers recently shot down the idea that the rivalry between her and Clark has become personal off the court, reminding fans on a new episode of the “Not Gonna Lie” podcast with Kylie Kelce that the pair not only used to play together but have remained cordial away from the court.
“A lot of us, me and Caitlin even played together on the Junior Olympic level when we were younger, we were in high school, and it was always a fun time,” Bueckers said.
Bueckers said that with how both of their careers have advanced, with Clark playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes and Bueckers playing for the UConn Huskies before also ending up playing for different WNBA teams, they knew their paths would continue to cross.
Paige Bueckers Shares True Feelings About Caitlin Clark
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
“It’s crazy because everyone’s pitting me and Caitlin against each other for the longest time,” Bueckers said. “And we’re cool, we’re friends. But again, it’s respect to the competition, so we understand that.”
Bueckers said she also understands the nature of sports media these days, so some storylines may get misconstrued, which she argued is the case when discussing Clark.
“We understand how media works and how they want to pit two people against each other and they’re supposed to hate each other, and blah blah blah,” Bueckers said. “So we all understand that, and it’s all in the love of the game.”
Bueckers said she recognizes the vitriol between Wings and Fever fans, but doesn’t let it bother her when she plays against them.
“But at the same time, to have two fanbases that really hate each other have to come together for a couple months will be really fun,” Bueckers said. “Everybody will just have to get along for a little bit.”
With the upcoming WNBA season looming, women’s basketball fans will get an early present when the Fever open their season against the Wings.
While Bueckers didn’t comment on the matchup directly, she did attempt to pitch the pros of why Clark joining Unrivaled would be good for her career. Whether it’s simply improving her on-court presence and skills, adapting to playing with new teammates, or occasional traveling, much seems possible.
The first of three matchups is May 9, as the Wings head to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
