Current WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark and betting favorite Paige Bueckers for this upcoming season's award had contrasting answers to a particular question during media availability this past week.
The Indiana Fever have set their sights on winning a title, with the last two ROTY winners, Clark and Aliyah Boston, in the starting lineup.
They made several offseason moves to bolster their roster and brought in former head coach Stephanie White.
Expectations and pressures inevitably come when a team builds a championship roster. Much of this will be levied at Clark, who had this to say in regards to these weights upon her shoulders.
"It feels like the pressure is always taking another level," Clark said, per Sara Jane Gamelli. "I always remind myself it's not a moment I haven't been in before. I understand the expectations. I understand the pressure. You embrace that. There's gonna be nights that are great. There's gonna be nights you struggled a little bit. It's just how you respond."
Bueckers, who was selected first overall by the Dallas Wings, was asked about expectations and comparisons to last year's draft class, which was headlined by Clark. She responded in a different way.
"No expectations," Becker said, per Joey Mistretta. "I feel like that comes from an outside source so just building with the team here. Trying to get better every single day like I talk about every single time. Don't worry about expectations... Expectations are a narrative that the media tries to create. Not letting outside sources in is really the expectation," she said.
Even before Bueckers' arrival in the WNBA, she has often being compared with or pitted against Clark. Both had a decorated college basketball career and were No. 1 picks in their respective draft years.
More must-reads: