Skip to main content
Fansided

Opening weekend proved Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark aren't carrying the WNBA's next generation alone

Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark may be the face of the WNBA's next generation, but they're not the only stars on the rise.
ByLiz Girvan|
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on Reddit
Google Discover
Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles
Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Key Points

Bullet point summary by AI

  • The weekend's top performances came from unexpected sources, signaling that new rivalries are forming beyond the usual headlines.

Though WNBA opening weekend included 11 games, the most anticipated matchup came primetime on Saturday when the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark faced off against the Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers. Much of the media attention and preview coverage centered on the contest between the two former No. 1 picks, yet the weekend proved that the WNBA’s “next generation" conversation goes deeper than the two stars. 

Out of the 22 highest scorers of the weekend — made up of each game's highest scorer from the winning and losing team — eight were players in their first three WNBA seasons, and neither Clark nor Bueckers were among them.

This is not to say Bueckers and Clark didn’t deliver. Both players put up 20 points during their faceoff, but were outscored by teammates Arike Ogunbowale and Kelsey Mitchell, who tallied 22 and 30 points, respectively. Instead, the weekend served as a reminder that the debate over the future stars of the WNBA is not one or two-player conversation. 

When it comes to the WNBA, the kids are all right

The Washington Mystic’s Sonia Citron put up 26 against the Toronto Tempo. Janelle Salaun notched 20 points against the Seattle Storm and 21 against the Phoenix Mercury. Center Dominique Malonga recorded 21 points against the Golden State Valkyries, and Carla Leite added 18 against the Chicago Sky.

Though Azzi Fudd might not have had the most flashy opening weekend, Olivia Miles showed up immediately, dropping 21 points against the Atlanta Dream. 

Aneesah Morrow delivered one of the most productive performances of the weekend: 15 points against the New York Liberty, then a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double against Seattle. As if to challenge Morrow, Kamilla Cardoso posted a 22-point, 14-rebound double-double against the Portland Fire, continuing the growth she showed late last season, and Kiki Iriafen produced two double-doubles of her own: 12 points and 16 rebounds against the Tempo, followed by 20 points and 12 rebounds against the Liberty.  

It is undeniable that both Clark and Bueckers helped the league grow. There was an obvious boom in viewership and TV ratings that accompanied Caitlin Clark’s rookie season, as well as the anticipation surrounding Bueckers’ arrival after winning the national championship at UConn. Both are central figures in the WNBA’s growth. 

Yet opening weekend highlighted that the WNBA does not have to rely on one narrative. There are more players to build rivalries around. Though Clark and Bueckers may continue to dominate headlines, they are not the only ones dominating on the court. 

More WNBA news and analysis:

Add us as a preferred source on Google
Home/WNBA