Etan Thomas, former NBA veteran and outspoken commentator, recently fired a shot that many believe was directed not just at Paige Bueckers, but at the wider WNBA establishment.

In his repost of a video of Bueckers walking through the “Spirit Tunnel” and being presented the 2025 Rookie of the Year trophy by WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, Thomas wrote: “We all know why ‘they’ don’t embrace Paige Bueckers like ‘they’ do Caitlin Clark.”

That comment immediately touched a nerve among fans and observers. For some, it suggested subtle bias, or even an intentional downplaying of Bueckers’s achievement in comparison to how Caitlin Clark was handled in her ROTY announcement.

A number of Clark’s fans expressed frustration—and suspicion—that the difference in treatment in how the announcements were staged and publicized reveals an uneven playing field when it comes to spotlight, media, and league recognition.

The announcement moment for Bueckers was highly visible: she was surprised in a video by Engelbert during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show.

The setup included the “Spirit Tunnel” ritual (a kind of hype build-up), the fanfare, and even dance. The visual and emotional production was strong. By contrast, the way Caitlin Clark was informed of her Rookie of the Year award last year was more low-key: via phone call, lacking that same spectacle.

For many of Clark’s supporters, this difference is more than just optics. They see it as evidence of what they believe has been an ongoing pattern: greater media attention, more fanfare, and louder praise for Bueckers in certain moments, while Clark gets less of that kind of ceremonial show, particularly in recognition moments.

Criticism and skepticism have also come from fans and sports media who argue that the disparity in presentation sends unspoken messages about whose achievements are more celebrated, whose persona is more “marketable,” and perhaps even whose identity aligns (or clashes) with what some perceive as the prevailing narrative in the WNBA.

Some of the commentary has focused on race, public expectations, or personality—though those are not always spelled out explicitly.

On the flip side, supporters of Bueckers argue that she deserves the recognition. After all, her rookie season stats and performance have been outstanding, and many say she’s earned her platform.

The ROTY win came by a lopsided margin (70 of 72 votes), which underscores how convincingly the voting body judged her performance relative to other rookies.

Bueckers herself responded with a message of gratitude and humility in her ROTY acceptance post. She thanked those who supported her, her teammates, and emphasized the process over the results—suggesting that despite the surrounding noise, she remains focused on growth.

Yet the tension remains. Many Clark fans feel the league or its media arm didn’t give her the same style of publicity when she won ROTY, and that this is part of a broader narrative whereby some athletes are celebrated not only for what they do on the court, but how their off-court story, persona, and visibility align with larger trends in sports media.

There’s also discomfort for some that this story is not just about fairness, but that it echoes how women in sports are often compared to each other—how success is measured not just by performance but by how you are presented, how much attention you get, and how much of a spectacle your achievement becomes. It raises questions of identity, race, media narratives, and the power of image.

Another layer of the debate has to do with expectations. Caitlin Clark entered the league with extreme hype, including record-setting viewership, big endorsement deals, etc. That brings expectations—and scrutiny—that may be difficult to satisfy.

Paige Bueckers, also highly touted, naturally draws comparisons. But some argue that what’s unwritten is that Clark’s deadline for perfection is stricter, that her missteps are magnified more, and that when others succeed, the contrast is used to highlight perceived shortcomings.

For the league, the conversation poses a challenge. The WNBA (including its Commissioner) wants to grow viewership, build stars, amplify stories.

But doing so equitably—making sure different players feel they’re being honored fairly in moments like ROTY announcements, media coverage, promotional hype—is complex, especially when fan attention, social media buzz, and historical context put some figures under greater magnification.

What seems clear is that many fans are paying attention not just to who wins awards, but how those wins are delivered. They’re noticing differences in ceremony, public visibility, narrative framing.

And these things matter—both to the athletes, and to the message the league sends about who is valued and in what ways.

As WNBA continues to grow in popularity, these moments (showmanship, recognition, media framing) will likely continue to be scrutinized.

For Caitlin Clark’s supporters, the question is: will future moments of acknowledgement match the loom of the accolades she’s earned—even if that means a louder stage, more elaborate announcements, and more media highlight.

For Paige Bueckers, there is broad support, but also an awareness that comparisons will be inevitable—and that how the league treats both players might become a benchmark for how women’s sports handle public recognition among rising stars.