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Paige Bueckers Beats Caitlin Clark for Huge Milestone Even Before WNBA Debut

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Mariano | Last updated Apr 20, 2025 11:20 AM ET

It's an exciting new chapter for the Dallas Wings as they will parade No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers when the season starts in May.

Bueckers was a no-brainer selection for the Wings in the 2025 WNBA draft after a stellar career at the University of Connecticut, highlighted by their national championship in the women's NCAA Tournament.

Bueckers will team up with Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington and Teaira McCowan in trying to lead the Wings back to relevance after a dismal 9-31 campaign.

The 23-year-old Bueckers will make her much-anticipated debut on May 16 against her home team, the Minnesota Lynx. Bueckers grew up in Hopkins, Minnesota and looked up to Lynx legend and fellow Huskies icon Maya Moore.

To commemorate her first WNBA game, the city council of Hopkins declared May 16 as Paige Bueckers Day, according to multiple reports. It also unanimously voted to rename Hopkins to Paige Bueckers for the special day.

It's a cool milestone for Bueckers, who many are expecting to follow in the footsteps of Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. For what it's worth, Clark has yet to see her hometown of Des Moines, Iowa get named after her—even just for a day.

Caitlin Clark Day was declared in Iowa on Feb. 22, 2024 to honor her achievements with the Hawkeyes.

Bueckers starred for Hopkins High School and was named Female Athlete of the Year and National Player of the Year during her senior season.

Many will be comparing her and Clark once the season unfurls, a storyline that should be interesting to follow. Their first meeting on June 27 in Dallas has already driven ticket prices to as much as $5,000.

Due to high demand, the Wings already moved the game from their usual home venue at the University of Texas-Arlington's College Park Center to the American Airlines Center.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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