Feb 2, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Former Iowa Hawkeyes player Caitlin Clark (center) looks on during the game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the USC Trojans at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have been compared ever since their respective freshman seasons in college, when they ended up sharing the National Freshman of the Year Award while Bueckers also won the Naismith Trophy, which is given to the best player in women’s college basketball.

Even though one of them is now in the WNBA while the other is still in college, that hasn’t meant the comparisons between Clark and Bueckers have stopped. This was proven during UConn’s February 9 game against Providence, when CBS Sports commentator Julianne Viani-Braen decided to bring Clark up when talking about Bueckers’ game.

“What I’ve always loved about her game is she doesn’t force anything. She’s not gonna go out there and take 40 shots. She isn’t that kind of player,” Viani-Braen said of Bueckers.

“I know we’ve talked about the Caitlin Clark’s of the day, now Caitlin Clark in the WNBA. They’re different kinds of players, and there’s really no comparing them because Paige Bueckers, she’s just an all-around versatile player, she’s going to get people the ball, she’s going to get her shot, but she’s going to let the game come to her. You never see her out there shooting, taking 40-50 shots. It’s just not her game.”

Clark’s fanbase isn’t happy about Viani-Braen having to unnecessarily involve Clark when talking about Bueckers.

“I promise you can praise Paige without bringing Caitlin into it,” X user @nosyone4 wrote along with a video of Viani-Braen’s comments.

“‘There’s really no comparing them’ yet goes on to compare them😭😭 look like no denying Paige is great but like there is no ‘Caitlin before Caitlin’. Caitlin also showed up in big games…,” one fan commented.

Another fan added, “saying caitlin takes 40 shots a game and can’t be compared to paige because she’s an ‘all around versatile player’ while paige is playing ‘providence’ and caitlin is fresh off a all wnba ROTY season where she finished 4th in mvp voting is deranged but maybe that’s just me”.

While these fans certainly have a fair point, it’s hard to imagine that the comparisons between Clark and Bueckers will stop anytime soon.