Paige Bueckers has been one of the most talked-about rookies this season, and now analysts are pointing out that she has quietly edged Caitlin Clark in a surprising statistical category.
“Although Bueckers had a worse net rating than Clark (minus-5.0 compared to minus-2.4), her on-off differential has been better in her rookie season,” Sabreena Merchant wrote. The detail shows how impactful Paige Bueckers has been when on the court, even if her team’s overall efficiency rating dipped compared to Clark’s.
Both are rookies with very different paths. On one, we have CC, who was seen as the next big thing. She probably still is, but is sidelined due to injury. On the other hand, we have Paige Bueckers. Consistent, present, and is gradually pushing Caitlin Clark over on numbers and stats.
For many fans, it’s refreshing to see how two young stars can shape their teams in different ways. Paige Bueckers isn’t just showing promise — she’s establishing herself as a player who can raise the level of everyone around her. As the season heads toward its closing stretch, the debate about which rookie has had the more complete campaign is only intensifying.
No declared or observed rivalry yet, but remember that it’s their rookie year. There’s plenty of time to build heat, love, competitiveness, and uniqueness. So we can compare the numbers now, but only time will tell if one is better than the other.
Paige Bueckers Ticks Off Another Box off of Her Caitlin Clark’s Rookie Season Checklist
Paige Bueckers added another milestone to her growing list of rookie accomplishments, once again drawing comparisons to Caitlin Clark.
The WNBA announced her as the league’s top newcomer for August. “Paige Bueckers is your @Kia Rookie of the Month for the 3rd time this season! AUGUST STATS: 20.3 PPG | 3.7 RPG | 5.0 APG #KiaROTM | #WelcometotheW” the official account posted on X.
The recognition puts Paige Bueckers in rare company, especially given how strong the rookie class has been this year. Just like Clark, she has maintained consistency despite the long season and the heavy responsibility of leading her team’s offense.
Paige Bueckers has been doing the job. While pundits are still left and right figuring out where to put her in their own internal leaderboards, Paige is silently turning the page that might finally lead to a chapter of her own. A chapter of the building blocks of her legacy. A legacy of reliability and hard work.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
