Back in 2024, Paige Bueckers returned from her redshirt season on a mission, one that involved reclaiming the NCAA title for UConn. After all, the Huskies hadn’t held that crown since 2016. But just as she was hitting her stride, Caitlin Clark and her Iowa squad popped up in the semifinals and stopped Bueckers in her tracks. While neither Clark nor Bueckers walked away with the championship that year, the matchup gave fans a delicious preview of what their future pro duels might look like. Fast forward to now: Clark’s a sophomore in the WNBA, and Bueckers is the rookie, but that hasn’t stopped anyone from endlessly comparing the two.
Now, if you know anything about Paige and Azzi Fudd, you know how close they are. In fact, Bueckers was so determined to recruit Fudd to UConn that she actually made a Hudl video with her high school highlights of her passing to people, and made Fudd’s family watch it. Naturally, Fudd’s parents see Paige as their daughter’s basketball sister. So, when asked about the whole “Clark vs. Bueckers” debate, they didn’t hold back.
Katie Smrcka-Duffy and Tim Fudd, Azzi’s mom and dad, know Paige nearly as well as their own kid. During their June 12 appearance on the NOVA Legends podcast, they laid it out straight, echoing what Bueckers herself has been saying. National reporter Ken Swift shared a clip of the conversation on social media, captioning it: “Azzi Fudd’s parents talk about what they see as the difference between Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark.”
When asked whether Paige brings the same fiery intensity as Clark, Fudd’s mom chimed in with calm certainty: “She does. It’s different. They’re different players.” And then, her dad brought out the big guns with a comparison that should have everyone nodding in approval: “It’s Michael Jordan and LeBron James,” he said. “Different. Very different.” They did not stop there, of course.
Azzi Fudds parents talk about what they see as the difference between Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark.
Full Video Here: https://t.co/Fteb83ORgK pic.twitter.com/lQ1vIErrPp
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) June 13, 2025
“She wants to win,” Fudd’s mom added matter-of-factly. “She’s not gonna shoot the ball 25 times a game. She’s just not… Where Caitlin wants to score, right? There’s a difference, and [Clark] is a scorer first. She wants the assist, too, but she wants to score. And I just think they’re different players like that, where Paige just, assist, rebound, score. Whatever you need me to do, let’s do it.” That pretty much sums it up. Clark lights the scoreboard, while Bueckers is essentially a stronger team player.
Giving both athletes their due, considering their different paths, Fudd’s father further said, “[Paige] does have a competitive fire. Caitlin shows hers a lot in those big moments… [Paige] has that fire in her belly, and we’ve just yet to see it [with the Wings].”
Of course, this whole “Clark vs. Bueckers” debate isn’t new. It practically began the moment Paige was announced as WNBA-bound. And predictably, GMs jumped into the conversation. One anonymous executive put it rather bluntly: “It’s just really hard to impact the game as a rookie… I think she’ll be a good player this year, but I’m not expecting a Caitlin-like impact. And that’s an unfair bar to set.” Well, it was hard to tell whether that comment was meant to be praise, a jab, or something in between.
Still, Paige, calm and cool, was having none of these comparisons that lit up social media every hour. “I don’t think me and Caitlin play at all alike,” Bueckers said, shutting down the narrative. “Those comparisons are just media driven, narrative driven.”And if that wasn’t enough of a mic drop, she let her game do the rest, proving that her own pace is unaffected by anyone else.
In a recent game against the Phoenix Mercury, Bueckers returned after a four-game absence and lit the stage up with a 35-point performance. She knocked down 8-of-10 shots in the first half alone, including three triples and three free throws, earning the Wings 22 points. So, yes, this is Paige Bueckers. Quiet and steady. She has only continued to improve since she set foot in the W. However, as many say, her team really hasn’t been matching her efforts.
Paige Bueckers does not play the blame game
Paige’s electric play could not save her team against the Mercury as the team slid to a league-worst 1-10 record. Now, considering that she is fresh off winning an NCAA championship, you would think all this losing would frustrate her. But no, that’s just not her. She is not ready to put her coach and team under the bus.
With that voice of a leader, she admitted the things that need to be done, while sharing that her team is not looking for a quick fix. “It’s challenging, but very rewarding, in a sense of you just being super process-oriented and not result-oriented,” Bueckers said. “How we want to have a set of standards, build a culture, and have a way we do things and stick to that regardless of wins or losses. And trying to build what that looks like for this year. And then the results will follow and will come as we continue to stay disciplined in who we are every single day“.
Just a rookie, but she is already leading and motivating by example, using both her actions and her voice. Hence, we can rest assured that she is destined for greater things.
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