Long before the Dallas Wings took former UConn star Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 overall pick in last month’s WNBA draft, the 23-year-old guard was being compared to last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Indiana Fever phenom Caitlin Clark.

Bueckers and Clark were the No. 1 and No. 4 overall recruits, respectively, in the 2020 recruiting class, and they had shared the college spotlight for three seasons before Clark left for the pros.

And while few would blame Bueckers for feeling one-upped by Clark for most of her time at UConn, the Wings’ rookie recently admitted in an interview with TIME that she no longer feels like she’s living in Clark’s shadow as she transitions to the WNBA.

“That’s what the media cares about,” Bueckers said. “That’s what everybody who watches basketball cares about. I used to be bothered by it. But I’ve done so much work on myself and my approach. 

“The ability to not run a race in comparison, to run my own race and worry about that. Caitlin’s a phenomenal player. We’re also completely different players.”

While Bueckers may no longer feel the pressure of trying to match Clark stride-for-stride, that doesn’t mean fans and analysts will stop comparing the two.

Clark broke WNBA, rookie and Fever franchise records, as well as ratings, attendance and merchandise sales records during her debut season en route to a near-unanimous Rookie of the Year win.

Whether she wants to admit it or not, some will be expect Bueckers to make a similar impact with the Wings, and others will likely judge her production and success against Clark’s rookie season — though that seems like a challenge Bueckers is ready to embrace.

“Pitting the two most recent No. 1 draft picks against each other is good for the game,” Bueckers added. “At the end of the day, I don’t think either of us really cares about it, because we’re just trying to be the best versions of ourselves.”

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