Face of the WNBA: Five Players Who Challenge Caitlin Clark

Drafted first overall in 2025, Paige Bueckers has quickly established herself as an All-Star in the WNBA. She is also well-loved around the league, with the reception on her by players and fans being generally positive.

Furthermore, Bueckers has already broken a number of Clark's records, such as becoming the fastest player to reach 250 career points in the WNBA since 2006. The Dallas Wings star needed just 13 games to achieve the feat, while Clark did so in 16.

She's also the fastest guard to record 250 points, 50 rebounds and 50 assists since 1997.

It's also worth noting that Bueckers received 805,471 All-Star votes this 2025, the most by a rookie ever. Clark garnered 700,735 votes last season, per Bleacher Report.

Angel Reese

One could argue that Angel Reese is the second-most popular player in the WNBA after Clark. There's also an argument to be made that she's more popular, thanks to her significant social media following. The Chicago Sky forward is the most followed player in the league, boasting over 5 million followers on Instagram.

Popularity aside, Reese is also a two-time All-Star like Clark, earning the recognition since her rookie year. She has also set plenty of records, including the longest double-double streak in league history with 15. Candace Parker previously held the record with 12.

Reese's rebounding dominance is unmatched in the WNBA, and as she continues to improve her game — particularly her playmaking — she should further strengthen her case as the face of the league.

A'ja Wilson

Prior to Clark, many considered Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson as the face of the WNBA, and for good reason.

Wilson already had two MVP awards before Clark arrived in the WNBA, and she won her third in 2024. She also boasts two championships, which the Aces won in back-to-back years in 2022 and 2023, along with a Finals MVP recognition.

As a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Wilson has certainly established herself as an all-time great — all that before she even reached 30 years old.

In terms of her marketability, Draymond Green made an interesting point in his podcast last year, when he went as far as to say that the "best thing since sliced bread in the WNBA" is Wilson.

"I'm not necessarily in the mindset that it's all Caitlin Clark, no, A'ja Wilson is great. A'ja Wilson to me is the American dream," Green stated, per NBC Philadelphia. "Coming from a two-parent household, grew, got better, young Black girl, had everything against her, beat the odds to become what soon will be known as the greatest player to ever grace the WNBA. That's quite honestly my opinion.

"I think A'ja Wilson is as marketable as anybody in the WNBA, but you have to figure out how to market the product. So I'm not going to sit up here and act like Caitlin Clark ain't done nothing for the WNBA. That's [expletive], yes she has. She's going to continue to. No, I'm not in the assumption that it's only her. I think y'all got a gold mine in the WNBA sitting right there, marketable as anybody in A'Ja Wilson and haven't figured out how to make it go. Ain't A'Ja fault. A'Ja got a lot about her that is as marketable as can be."

Napheesa Collier

Like Wilson, Napheesa Collier is one of the most dominant two-way players in the WNBA today. This 2025 season, she's considered the heavy favorite to win MVP, especially with the Minnesota Lynx proving they are the best team in the league.

There's also a good chance that Collier will win the Defensive Player of the Year award again this 2025. At the time of writing, the Lynx forward is averaging 1.8 steals, a career-high 1.6 blocks and 5.6 defensive rebounds. Collier won DPOY in 2024.

Collier's influence has also grown tremendously over the years. During the past offseason, she and Breanna Stewart co-founded the 3-on-3 basketball league Unrivaled, allowing them to be selected as two of TIME's most influential people of the year.

If the WNBA wants to highlight leadership, influence and elite performance on and off the court, Collier fits that mold arguably better than anyone.

Sabrina Ionescu

Outside the younger generation that came into the W over the last couple years, New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable players in the league.

A four-time All-Star and a one-time champion, Ionescu also has more than proven herself to be capable of being the face of the WNBA.

It's also worth noting that Ionescu had a close friendship with the late Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant and was a mentor to his daughter Gianna Bryant, making her even more meaningful to a generation that already sees her as a bridge between the NBA and WNBA.

Ionescu's image, commercial appeal and court greatness are further amplified by the fact that she plays in New York, the WNBA’s biggest media market. Sure enough, she brings mainstream attention to the league in ways few players can match.

Honorable Mention: JuJu Watkins

While USC star JuJu Watkins won't be eligible for the WNBA draft until 2027, she's already widely considered to lead the next generation of hoopers, thanks in large part to her transcendent talent and popularity.

A recent poll by The Athletic, which asked 39 players to vote on who will be the face of the league in five years, saw Watkins land at No. 2 with 17.9% of the votes — second only to Clark.