Caitlin Clark & Co. Made WNBA “Hostile” But Paige Bueckers’ Class Sparks a Powerful Shift Among Vets, Per Ex-WNBA Champion

There’s something revolutionary happening in women’s basketball, and it’s not just the incredible talent that continues to step onto the hardwood. It’s the cultural shift! The fans are tuning in. The social media is buzzing with women’s hoops talk. Arenas are selling out faster than ever. And at the center of it? Caitlin Clark. But if you ask the seasoned veterans, the real transformation isn’t just happening on the scoreboard or in the stands—it’s in the atmosphere as well. And that shift? Yeah, it might not be revolving around Clark at all.

But before we get into that, let’s rewind for a second. The 2024 draft class changed the game. Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Kate Martin; these women didn’t just show up with skills. They came with full-blown brands. We’re talking millions of followers, NIL deals bigger than some league contracts, and that whole superstar aura that had never hit the W like this before. It wasn’t just basketball anymore; it was entertainment, business, and culture, all wrapped into one flashy, powerful package. Yet, when the season tipped off, the topmost storyline was: Clark vs. Reese. The college rivalry carried over like a storm cloud, and the fan bases got into Twitter wars, name-calling, and comparisons.

Then came June 1.

It was supposed to be just another Chicago Sky vs. Indiana Fever. But then Chennedy Carter hit Clark with a hard check from behind. Looked like a regular foul at first, but after review, it was a flagrant 1. And that was just the spark. The whole internet exploded. Commentators, fans, and politicians weighed in. Carter’s teammates got dragged. Debates broke out over whether vets were “targeting” Clark. It all got ugly. Fast forward to now, this year’s rookie class has been welcomed a little differently. Even WNBA champion Lexie Brown said it feels like night and day.

“As veterans, I think we have made this a more welcoming environment for this rookie class,” Brown said. “The energy feels different this year… overwhelmingly more positive, but also still very competitive.” She wasn’t sugarcoating last year either. “Last year it was like complete hostility going into the season. It was insane. I had never felt that before going into a season. The competitiveness, there was no competition type energy in that. It was just hostile and mean and nasty.”

She thinks this year is “high level, high energy, competitive, respectful.” So what’s changed? Well, for starters, last season, there was one clear-cut superstar. It was Clark’s world, and everyone else was just trying to catch up. The gap was wide, and people weren’t ready for that kind of attention on a rookie.

Also, this year, the “Welcome to the W” moments aren’t coming with internet outrage anymore. Take Sonia Citron, for example. She caught a tough screen recently—same kind of thing Clark did last year—but now, it’s all jokes and laughs. She laughed it off herself, too. Adding to that, not much drama this time either. No more rivalries extending beyond the court. Remember when Angel Reese’s mom threw shade on social media about rings mattering more than ratings?

Plus, these new rookies are hooping. Not just the big names. Sure, Paige Bueckers is doing her thing in Dallas, but she’s not alone. JJ Quinerly and Aziaha James have been balling alongside her. And how can we forget the undrafted Deja Kelly, who just dropped 15 points? Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Aaliyah Nye, Hailey Van Lith and more shining, too.

So while this season might’ve kicked off with Paige as the shiny new star, it’s quickly turned into a rookie takeover. And according to Lexie Brown, the vets are making sure the class of 2025 feels the love and the competition.

But even with all that, who are we kidding? One name still holds the crown when it comes to drawing a crowd.

Caitlin Clark’s still queen of the crowd, even in Bueckers’ Minnesota

After averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.4 assists in her rookie season and taking home 2024 Rookie of the Year honors, Caitlin Clark set a new bar. So naturally, people are now wondering: can Paige Bueckers do the same for Dallas? Bueckers, who stayed five years at UConn, won everything there was to win—four Player of the Year awards in 2021, a national championship, and a career average of 19.8 points. Now, as the No. 1 pick for the Dallas Wings, she’s out to prove she’s more than just hype.

In preseason, Clark and the Fever are 3-0. Bueckers lost her first but bounced back in the next. But while basketball is about to get real, the ticket wars have already started. One fan looked up tickets for two Minnesota Lynx games: one vs. the Fever and one vs. the Wings. 

Guess what they found? 

Prices for Clark’s game were over $400 more for the same section. And there were way more open seats for Bueckers. Does that mean Clark is more popular in Minnesota, Bueckers’ own backyard? This is the kind of impact Clark has had. Last season, teams were literally moving games to bigger arenas just to fit the crowds when Clark came to town. And this year, at least six teams are doing it again—including Bueckers’ Dallas Wings.

The Fever wants to build something special with her. “I want this team to be the leader in the country and an enduring brand, like Apple or something,” said President Kelly Krauskopf. That’s the energy the league is on right now. It’s starting to feel like women’s basketball isn’t just having a moment. It’s having a movement. And it is because of a collective effort.