“Wait till Paige [gets to the WNBA]. I’m waiting on Paige Bueckers,” Kevin Garnett said back in 2021, long before her draft night and their connection goes way back. Earlier this year, a photo resurfaced of a young Paige wearing a Boston Celtics No. 5 jersey, the same number KG wore when he led Boston to the 2008 championship. You can see just how much KG has influenced her—growing up in Minnesota, watching him dominate with the Timberwolves, then following his run in Boston. And now, he’s the one giving her the flowers, just like the league did. Or… did they?

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers just took home the 2025 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year award, earning 70 out of 72 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. And Kevin Garnett made sure to celebrate her in style, sharing a message on his Instagram story: “Paige Bueckers Has The Best Bag In The League!! 2025 Rookie Of The Year. Shout to homie Page b 🫡💯…Shawty nice n gotta bag😤😤😤 she keep that work😤🫡💯✅ Congratulations 🎉.”

Paige didn’t just break records in her rookie season; she made history. Her accomplishments include:

• 44 points on 17-of-21 shooting (81%) against the Los Angeles Sparks, making her the first WNBA rookie to hit 40+ points while shooting over 80%.
• Becoming the first rookie to average at least 15 points, 5 assists, and 45 percent shooting for the season.
• Finishing as only the second rookie ever, behind Clark, with 500+ points, 150+ assists, 100+ rebounds, and 50+ steals.
• Ten games with 20+ points and 5+ assists, the second most by any rookie in WNBA history.

The praise from Kevin Garnett for Paige isn’t new. Back in April, when UConn’s women’s team cruised to the 2025 NCAA Championship, KG went all out on social media, writing, “Shout out to the ladies of UCONN…Y’all did ya thing.” The Huskies dominated every quarter against South Carolina, mixing suffocating defense with explosive offense, and finished with a commanding 82-59 win. Garnett, clearly impressed, shared his excitement online, giving props to the team for their incredible performance.

Even before that, during her freshman season, she was unstoppable, helping drive UConn to the title alongside Fudd and Strong. In the championship game, Paige scored 17 points (the total: 477 points), surpassing Maya Moore’s NCAA tournament scoring record of 476. That year, she became the first freshman to ever win the Naismith Player of the Year, and Garnett was there, cheering her on and recognizing her rise to stardom long before she reached the WNBA.

KG isn’t the only one giving Paige her due. Dwyane Wade, another huge fan, has been loud and proud of her game. After she won Rookie of the Year, he asked straight up, “Will she go down as one of the GOATs?” He added, “Y’all have seen the world tour, but you have not seen the work tour… she works her butt off, and you can tell from the results.” And the numbers back it up—19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals, shooting 47.7% from the field and 88.8% from the line. So what do you think—Paige the GOAT, or is Caitlin Clark still stealing the spotlight?

The Caitlin Clark vs. the Paige Bueckers debate

While Paige Bueckers has been tearing it up in her rookie season, some still feel she’s living in Caitlin Clark’s shadow. Fans and commentators are weighing in on who will be the face of the WNBA.

• Paige Bueckers case: ESPN analyst Elle Duncan explains that Paige’s efficiency—the way she always makes the right decision—doesn’t always grab attention. Clark, on the other hand, is all flash: deep threes, highlight passes, and moments that make fans stop and stare. “Where are the highlights? Where are the crazy behind-the-back passes?…And I think those things are not particularly sexy, which is why people don’t give her [Paige] the same sort of attention, and they’re not maybe as, like, crazy about what she’s able to do,” said Duncan.
• Caitlin Clark’s case: Her impact naturally cannot be ignored. Even with an injury-limited sophomore season, she has hit threes from 27 to 36 feet and averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game as a rookie. Rachel DeMita responded to one question on X without hesitation: “I’m definitely not going to wish Caitlin to be injury-prone and whatsoever… The face of the league is decided by the fans however, and I don’t know if I see it with Paige but that’s not to say that it can’t happen.” She also highlighted that the two players just bring different strengths—Paige has an impressive handle, but Clark’s shooting, ability to create space, and court vision give her a different kind of edge.

As former Duke star Jay Williams put it, “You wanna be a GOAT? Fine. There’s levels of greatness. You gotta win championships to be GOATs.” Clark may not have the ring yet, but the ‘Caitlin Clark effect’ is undeniable. The debate is far from over, and as fans, we get to watch it play out in real time.