Remember the 2017 Moonlight–La La Land Oscars mix-up? I’ve got one better for you, mistaking Paige Bueckers for Caitlin Clark. That’s exactly what happened on Jeopardy! When a contestant confidently buzzed in with, “Who is Caitlin Clark?” to a clue and photo of Paige Bueckers. From thereon, the storm of comparisons between the two No. 1 picks kicked into overdrive. And their recent WNBA matchup, the first time they faced off as pros since their days at Iowa and UConn, has only added more fuel to that fire.

And it’s not just the fans leaning into the comparison game; Fever head coach Stephanie White is, too. While she is not comparing them player-to-player, she is comparing their rivalry to the greats. She once said, “Everybody wants to see star players. You think about who tunes in to watch LeBron [James] and Steph [Curry]. It’s those kinds of matchups.” And right before last night’s showdown, she didn’t hold back on the scale of the moment: “In my day, it’s watching Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie, and in their day it’s watching Caitlin and Paige,” White said pregame.

And safe to say, she was right. The first quarter of this showdown gave a glimpse of just how electric this rivalry could become. In the first 10 minutes, the WNBA’s fan favorite and Players’ favorite went toe-to-toe. Just two minutes into the duel, Caitlin Clark learned Bueckers’ pass. She picked it off clean and blazed down the court for an easy layup. But Bueckers didn’t stay quiet for long; she pulled up from 29 feet and knocked down a three right in Clark’s face. And by the end of that quarter, both stars had tallied 7 points and 2 assists.

Although from there on, it was the Fever show as they outscored the Wings 102-83 to take the title home. You’d think that’s the beginning of a Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird type of dynamic right there. And yes, the world draws lines between them, but none are meant to divide. Theirs is not a rivalry of ruin, but one that rises on mutual respect and fuels the fire in both. So, for those who were waiting on egos to clash or tempers to flare, Caitlin Clark had already disarmed that narrative before the ball ever hit the floor.

“We’ve always been friends,” she said pre-game. “I wouldn’t say we’re best friends and talk all the time. It’s hard when you go your separate ways and are at different colleges. I’ve always been a fan of hers, I’ve always been supportive. I watch as much as I can just ’cause I love basketball, and I love the people that compete and make their team better—and that’s what she’s always been able to do.”

That image of Bueckers is something Clark has seen for years, before any of us. In her words, you could hear the echo of shared courts and summers past, back when they wore red, white, and blue on the U16 and U19 Team USA squads. Whether it was AAU battles or international arenas, Bueckers, Clark said, has always moved the same: smooth as silk. She even singled out her midrange jumper – still crisp, still sharp, still signature Paige. Caitlin Clark then added, “She (Paige Bueckers) just plays way older than she is,” and that she is capable of scoring from all three levels.

And after the game, her verdict didn’t change. If anything, it only rang louder. To her, Paige was as explosive as she always was when Caitlin Clark faced her during their clashes between UConn and Iowa. “You could feel that, especially at UConn and now coming to the W. I feel like she’s certainly a leader of the Wings.” And if Caitlin Clark’s words feel like an overstatement by now, just read what Diana Taurasi had said about Bueckers. “How she can galvanize a team and really tap into the best of her teammates, that skill, is uncharted waters, and I’m so excited to see her play,” Taurasi said in an episode of ‘In Case You Missed It’ with Khristina Williams.

At this point, we know that Paige Bueckers is a star blazing her own trail. So let’s give it to her. And while we’re at it, let’s tip our hat to Caitlin Clark, too, for never hesitating to speak that truth aloud. However, if you thought she was the only one who could handle competition with grace, think again.

Respect where it’s due, to Caitlin Clark

Long before she ever stepped on a WNBA court, Paige Bueckers was already living in Caitlin Clark’s comparison shadow. At one point, that narrative started affecting her. However, she was quick to get out of that rabbit hole and understand that “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Instead, she focused on her own growth, “So it’s just focusing on myself, how I can better myself, how we can better the team, and just losing myself in others.”

That same mindset keeps her gracious while giving praise where it’s earned. After the Wings-Fever game, she said, “It’s fun anytime we can compete against each other. We’re two competitors who just want to win and who have grown up playing against each other, playing with each other. So it’s great.” And when an interviewer pressed further about Caitlin Clark stealing a few of her passes, Bueckers didn’t make excuses then either.

Rather, she acknowledged it, saying, “Yeah, I mean, you answered it. She’s a very smart basketball player, so she’ll get out and deny passing lanes and make catches difficult.” The stats backed her up. Caitlin Clark stuffed the sheet with 14 points, 13 assists, and a career-high-tying 5 steals. She disrupted Dallas all night. She went 2-of-7 from three and a perfect 4-of-4 from the line, finishing +9 in just 25 minutes.

Bueckers, meanwhile, led Dallas with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting, adding 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. But her 4 turnovers (one swiped by Caitlin Clark’s defense prediction) stood out.