In Bleacher Report’s “Top 25 Athletes of the Next 25 Years,” Caitlin Clark sits pretty in the No. 2 spot, just behind Victor Wembanyama. And coming in hot at No. 5? None other than Cooper Flagg, who’s already making waves just two days after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Dallas Mavericks. Flagg’s welcome tour kicked off with a courtside appearance at a packed American Airlines Center, where the Dallas Wings hosted the Indiana Fever in a marquee matchup. But on a night filled with buzzer-beaters and big-time performances, Cooper Flagg might’ve been the biggest attraction not wearing a jersey. “I am a big fan, so it’s really cool to just be here and be in this environment and get to watch a great game,” he shared. Naturally, the big question had to be asked: who is he actually a big fan of? With Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers both on the court, surely it’s one of them, right? Well… wrong.
It all comes as NBA stars like Kyrie Irving, his daughter, Cooper Flagg, and others filled a sold-out arena of 20,000 tickets for the Wings vs. Fever game. Almost everyone was excited to witness Paige vs. Clark for the first time in the WNBA. While they had collided before, when CC was at Iowa and Paige was at UConn, this time felt different. Not just because they’ve both made the leap to the pros, but because it was a battle between two No. 1 overall picks in consecutive years.
But the hype didn’t last long, as CC missed the game due to a left groin injury, and it ended up being just another WNBA game. So you know how disheartening that was for the fans, and it showed, as tickets originally priced at $190 dropped by 40% and were resold for $115, according to SeatGeek. Still, while that was a disappointment for many, it wasn’t for Flagg, because CC isn’t actually his favorite player. And we’re not making that up as Flagg himself admitted it when asked, “Whose game do you admire most in the W?” While he said there are a lot of players he admires, his favorite is A’ja Wilson.
“I might say A’ja – A’ja Wilson. I really like her game, the way that she kind of just dominates. I’ve liked watching her for a little while,” he shared. No doubt, CC’s fans might be a little surprised, but A’ja Wilson is a major name in the W. You can measure that by her three WNBA MVP titles in 2020, 2022, and 2024, and the most recent one was unanimous, making her just the second player in league history to achieve that.
Its not Paige Bueckers or Caitlin Clark but A’ja Wilson! pic.twitter.com/kU0wSVOm2j
— Yashika Dutta (@DuttaYashika) June 28, 2025
And it’s not just about accolades – it’s about her impressive records too. From setting the single-season scoring record with 1,021 points to owning the highest scoring average in WNBA history at 26.9 PPG, Wilson excels in nearly every area. And she does it all so effortlessly, even while living with dyslexia. And while her team may be placed 9th in the WNBA standings with a 7–8 record, Wilson isn’t slowing down this season either.
Just recently, she became the fastest player to reach 5,000 career points, in just 238 games, beating Breanna Stewart’s mark by four games. So you can see why Flagg might be utterly impressed by the two-time WNBA champion. But, can Wilson’s on-court dominance match up to Caitlin Clark’s off-court fan love?
Cooper Flagg settles the debate between Wilson and Clark!
No doubt, Cooper Flagg made it clear that A’ja Wilson is his favorite player – but at the same time, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft had some serious praise for the reigning Rookie of the Year. While naming athletes to his WNBA Mount Rushmore, he included Candace Parker, Brittney Griner, and A’ja Wilson. Then, after a moment of silence, he added Caitlin Clark and went on to give the most reasonable of reasons. “She’s changed the game so much, and it’s heading in the right direction,” Flagg said about Caitlin Clark. “And I just love what she’s been able to do.”
And honestly, the Mavs rookie isn’t wrong. While Wilson continues to dominate the league, Clark is blazing a trail of her own, and fast. We’ve already seen her kick off the 2025 season with a monster 20-point, 10-assist, 10-rebound triple-double that also included four blocks and four threes. Just when you thought that was a statement, she followed it up by dropping 32 points, dishing out nine assists, and grabbing eight boards in a huge comeback win over the Liberty, right after returning from injury.
Jun 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts to the action against the Los Angeles Sparks during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Grace Smith/INDIANAPOLIS STAR-Imagn Images
But it’s not just what she does on the court, it’s the attention she brings to the WNBA off it. Her presence alone is changing the game, helping the league bring in more eyes, more revenue, and way more buzz. That was easy to spot today at the American Airlines Center. Even though she was out for the game, Clark was seen walking around the arena, signing autographs and connecting with fans, something that turned into a truly emotional moment for many.
The long lines, the excitement, the energy, all of it was for her. It’s because of Caitlin Clark that young girls aspire to drain three-pointers, and we will continue to see an influx of talent into the league. And though she couldn’t give fans a performance on the hardwood today, she gave them something just as valuable: a memory they’ll hold onto forever. Still need proof to back up Flagg’s statement about Caitlin Clark? Didn’t think so.
The post Caitlin Clark & Paige Bueckers Snubbed By Cooper Flagg’s Favorite Player Admission At Wings vs Fever appeared first on EssentiallySports.
