When Caitlin Clark heard her name called as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever, it was history in the making. By the time she walked across that stage, Clark had already etched her name in the record books as the all-time leading scorer in Division I college basketball history, with a jaw-dropping 3,951 points. But that evening would seal the deal further when 2.45 million of them tuned in to watch her enter the league. That was a 307% increase from the previous year’s draft.

A year has passed since then, and a new No. 1 pick, Paige Bueckers, has taken center stage. And as usual, the new face must go through the established “face of the league” to truly prove her worth. But don’t take Bueckers lightly; she’s the 2021 Naismith Player of the Year, and she entered the league with her own massive hype. She stayed at UConn for a fifth year, specifically to chase a national championship—and she got it. That’s a feat even Clark doesn’t have under her name.

The anticipation was quite clear, too, when ESPN reported the draft night ticket prices were up by double from last year. But not quite enough.

Notably, Bueckers’ arrival to W marked a viewership peaking at 1.25 million. While that was 119% more than the 2023 draft’s, it was 49% down compared to last year. And by the looks of it, someone’s comments aged well.

“Paige Bueckers is more athletic and a better midrange jump shooter than Caitlin Clark. But she doesn’t have Caitlin’s It factor, basketball charisma, and aura. Nobody does. Caitlin is Her,” Skip Bayless had tweeted on the eve of the WNBA draft. He drew some massive criticism, though. “Paige just got picked #1 in the WNBA draft like an hour ago let’s let her enjoy it for a bit,” and “Your time has passed. Go away.” One would also add, “Oh sh-t here we go” And well, there’s sense to that.

The comparisons have known no rest since the two stepped in as top recruits, impacting their teams massively. Over the past five years, Bueckers has suited up for the Huskies and delivered. She averaged 21.9 points per game last season, followed by 19.9 points per game this season, while leading UConn to a national title. On top of that, she led all of collegiate basketball in free-throw percentage at 89%.

In contrast, Clark starred for the Iowa Hawkeyes but never captured that elusive national title in any of her four seasons. However, she led the country with an average of 31.6 points per game during her senior year. And to put up those kinds of numbers, Clark grinded.

But as Bayless pointed out, it’s Clark’s “It” factor that separates her from the rest. And if you’re still not convinced, just look back at that historic draft night. That moment marked the first time the WNBA Draft cracked over 1 million viewers and it easily outdrew both the MLB and NHL drafts in 2023. With Paige Bueckers, the excitement is real… but it’s not quite at Caitlin Clark’s fever pitch just yet. Still, Clark herself believes the arrival of the 2025 WNBA Draft’s No. 1 pick will spark massive growth in the women’s basketball league.

“I think she’ll honestly fit right in,” Clark told WNBA legends Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. “[College Park Center] is fun to play in, too. It’s a small place, it’s loud. Honestly, they should move every game to American Airlines because I think Paige has that type of draw. She’ll be able to bring those types of fans in,” Clark added, clearly confident in Bueckers’ potential.

And that prediction is slowly turning into reality.

Paige Bueckers still expected to draw a crowd; Caitlin Clark showdown only helps

Fresh off a national championship, Bueckers has already surpassed Maya Moore to become UConn’s all-time leading scorer in the NCAA tournament with 477 points. So there’s no doubt Clark has a big showdown ahead in Dallas on June 27.

And it’s already proving to be huge. When the Wings declared it a “Night in Dallas” game, resale ticket prices soared. According to Ticketmaster, general admission starts at $255, but Access Marketplace shows tickets priced as high as $4,128 apiece. With service charges, sales tax, and delivery fees, that means a single ticket could cost over $5,200. But of course, it isn’t only for a single night that the Wings are expecting to see an impact.

With Dallas gaining momentum as a sports city, Paige’s 2.3 million Instagram is only believed to add to the response. “It’s a really big deal at a really big time,” said Kevin Hageland, host of K&C Masterpiece on 105.3 The Fan. So while Bueckers didn’t match any of those records set by Clark on draft night, she surely is a tough contender.