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Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark are cut from the same cloth.
The Dallas Wings star is getting a taste of what comes with being the number one overall pick.
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Fiery, competitive, and two of the best talents in the WNBA.
Clark is much further along than rookie Bueckers after a debut year like no other, but there’s no denying that the young Dallas rookie is on track to stardom.
And as Bueckers is starting to learn, heavy is the crown.
There is no bigger star in the WNBA, and arguably in North American sports, right now than Clark.
She is box office and must-see television every time she takes the court with the Indiana Fever.
Unfortunately, that’s been the problem this season for Clark.
She hasn’t been able to take the court as much as she would like, due to various injuries.
The Fever star has already missed six games this season, while Indiana has gone 3-4 without her in the lineup. They currently sit at 8-8 overall on the year.
In the nine games Clark has appeared in, she is averaging 18.2 points on 39 percent shooting, including 29.5 percent from the 3-point line, 8.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game.
However, she has struggled from beyond the arc recently, shooting just 1-23 from the 3-point line in her last three appearances.
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Ahead of the Wings’ clash with the Fever on Friday, Bueckers took notice of how Clark has handled herself through her slump, with all the pressure and what feels like the whole world watching.
“She handles it with grace,” Bueckers told the media at practice on Thursday.
“The pressure that she’s put on every single night to perform at the level that she does, it’s inhumane, really, to expect people to be perfect and to not have off games or off nights.
“If she doesn’t go 8-for-10 from 3, people are questioning things. It’s unfair to have to deal with that.”
The Fever announced on Friday afternoon that Clark will be out for Friday evening’s tilt against the Wings.
Her uncertain status impacted the ticket sales for Dallas significantly.
According to Colin Salao of Front Office Sports, “the “get-in” ticket price was $115 on Thursday afternoon, down 40% from $190 on Thursday morning, hours before the Fever announced Clark’s injury.”
That’s the power of Clark.
Bueckers did her best impression of her rival with a buzzer-beater from the logo before halftime.
But the Fever took a 56-43 lead into the locker room despite Clark’s absence.
Bueckers put up 27 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Wings fell to 4-13 with a 94-86 defeat.
Clark inspired what had been a struggling team into the playoffs as a rookie and the Fever made moves in the offseason to give her support.
Once the phenom returns, Indiana could be a contender after getting the job done.
