They travel for hours. They’ve got their faces painted. They’re usually holding bold signs. Young, old, and even infants, they all anticipate her arrival. The scene mirrors the frenzy once reserved for Michael Jordan in packed arenas. Caitlin Clark’s impact is so valuable that the WNBA is now one of the fastest-growing leagues. So, is it time to crown her as “face of the league”? Well… the debate’s evergreen, but in Year 2, a new competitor is added to the list. And the WNBA analyst Rachel DeMita is here to defend her favorite.

Last Tuesday, Paige Bueckers was named the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year after receiving 70 of 72 first-place votes from the media panel. A starter in all 36 games for the Wings, the No. 1 overall pick at the 2025 draft averaged 19.2 points with 5.4 assists while shooting 88.8% from the free-throw line. She even led all WNBA rooks in total points with 692, in points per game, total assists with 194, and assists per game. So, when Cathy Engelbert surprised her to hand her the trophy, it all made sense. But are these achievements enough to surpass CC’s impact? If not, then can the same be said if CC turns out to be injury-prone?

Still a no. We’re not saying this, but Courtside Club’s Rachel DeMita explained it herself when a commentator posted, “can paige become the face of the league if Caitlin is proven to be injuryprone? her bag is deep and her ceiling is higher” on X. Being a true CC fan, DeMita showed no hesitation saying, “I’m definitely not going to wish Caitlin to be injuryprone and whatsoever… Umm 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.”

It’s a hypothetical question, but it comes with a reason as CC’s been limited to just 13 games in her sophomore year. She’s missed all the important games from the Commissioner’s Cup to the All-Star and now the playoffs. So, you know where the question came from. But still, DeMita ain’t gonna crown Paige so quickly, and she’s got a reason too!

“I think they just have different bags. I think if you’re talking about straight handles then, yeah Paige’s bag is probably a little bit deeper, but if you’re talking about shooting ability, ability to create space, get yourself open, get your shot off, then I think Caitlin’s bag is deeper. When you talk about ceilings I think that just comes with straight work ethic,” DeMita added.

Yes, Bueckers has been incredible in her rookie year as she shattered multiple records. She was the only player in the W this season ranked in the top 10 in points, steals, and assists per game. And can you forget her 44 points against the LA Sparks on August 20th? It was the W’s single-game rookie record with nearly perfect 17-of-21 shots from the field. She has hence joined Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, Crystal Dangerfield, and Napheesa Collier as Huskies to earn the ROTY honor. But let me tell you the secret… none of them earned it right after a championship win. Still… she’s got her own ceiling and style.

As she herself puts it better after the August 20th game: “I truly think basketball has gotten away from it — it’s mostly layups and 3s… Teams don’t know how to guard it. So I think it’s an advantage when you can score in the midrange.” And yes, she’s capitalizing on all these shots. She’s the first person in league history to score more than 40 points while shooting 80% from the field.

But CC, she’s got her own unique abilities. So, while Paige usually takes a shot from midrange, CC’s popular for her logo threes. Despite suffering multiple injuries this season, she’s shot from 35, 36, 30, and 27 feet. This range is so far that many defenses are forced to extend just to guard her, opening up the court. She’s even got elite court vision and impressive passing skills. Perhaps her signature trait is that she sees plays developing before they happen. She anticipates where help will come and where her teammates will move, which allows her to make those “miracle” or “thread the needle” passes.

She can score in multiple ways: deep threes, pull-ups, midrange, and even drives to the basket. We’ve also seen her excel in transition, pushing the ball, making quick decisions, and even delivering long outlet passes when needed. And that’s how she accomplished over 19 records in her rookie year. However, what adds to her being called the face of the league is her incredible impact.

Be it viewership, attendance, or even financial impact, she’s reigning over the league all alone. So, when 39 anonymous WNBA players were surveyed by The Athletic about CC being the face of the league in five years, a majority of them voted yes. Though she wasn’t alone in getting the votes. While she got nearly 53.8% of the votes, JuJu Watkins was second with 17.9%, and Bueckers was third with 14.1%.

“I mean, she (Caitlin Clark) currently is the face of the league,” one respondent told The Athletic last month after the voting process. So somewhere CC’s on her way to sit on the throne. Is she?

Sue Bird’s here to highlight the path ahead!

While CC’s loved globally, due to her impressive résumé and the “Caitlin Clark effect” that’s driving the league, Sue Bird is here to highlight what’s missing. On her Bird’s Eye View podcast, the August 12th episode, Sue Bird revealed the metric she uses to judge a face of the league.

“She’s (Caitlin Clark) already breaking records left and right… the way this kid fills a box score is unprecedented. I think what we all want to see from her is that translating into championships—because ultimately, for me anyway, that’s how you get judged,” she said.

And yes, CC, despite everything in her bucket, still lacks a championship ring. So far in her career, she’s never had a chance to win a championship, neither during college nor in the pros. So, do you think Sue’s got a point?