After Caitlin Clark’s left quadriceps injury, the WNBA must find ways to better promote other stars, such as Dallas Wings rookie guard Paige Bueckers.
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Indiana Fever guard is expected to miss at least four games before being reevaluated on June 9. On Monday, Fever head coach Stephanie White indicated they won’t rush her back from the injury.
In the meantime, the league could lose some of its newfound momentum.
On Tuesday, Colin Salao of Front Office Sports reported get-in ticket prices for the Fever’s road game against the Chicago Sky on June 7 have fallen 71%, from $86 to $25.
The league’s TV ratings may also suffer. On May 20, ESPN announced the Fever’s season opener against the Sky was its most watched WNBA game ever, averaging 2.7 million viewers on all platforms.
Like Clark, Bueckers is a sharp-shooting guard with a high ceiling.
On a Saturday episode of The Athletic’s “No Offseason” podcast, former Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi said Bueckers “is going to end up being the best player in the league for sure.”
“Paige’s instincts on the court are just incredible, and it takes a special skill and talent when you can galvanize a group of people,” the three-time champion said.
“Paige just has tremendous talent, and once it’s unlocked, I’m going to be really excited to watch her play.”
Whether Bueckers can become the league’s best player is debatable, but the No. 1 pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft has looked solid thus far. In her first four games this season, she averaged 13 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game and 6.3 assists per game.
In Clark’s first four games during her rookie season in 2024, she averaged 17 points per game, four rebounds per game and 5.5 assists per game.
Along with impressive skills, Bueckers attracts fans. Per Salao, her regular-season debut against the Minnesota Lynx on May 16 on ION drew 639,000 viewers.
Excluding games with Clark, it was the network’s second-most watched WNBA game ever.
Bueckers could give Clark another rival besides Sky forward Angel Reese. Unlike Reese, the former Connecticut Huskies star has a similar play style to Clark’s.
When Clark returns, a rivalry between her and Bueckers may help the league grow even more. The league should spotlight Bueckers while Clark is sidelined to make that happen.
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