Paige Bueckers flew too close to the sun. The Dallas Wings rookie opened her season looking unstoppable. And in no time, she became the fastest player to reach 400 points and 100 assists, even outpacing Caitlin Clark’s 2024 run. The crescendo of her rookie season came in the elimination game against the Sparks. In that game, she scored 44 points on 17-of-21 shooting. Furthermore, it made her the first player in WNBA history to score 40 or more while shooting over 80 percent.

Then came the fall. Against Seattle, Bueckers slipped to 11 points. Her streak of double-digit scoring barely survived, but Golden State ended it in the very next game. “We’ve got to learn from it and continue to grow.” That was the statement of Wings head coach Chris Koclanes following this performance. For now, her Rookie of the Year hopes have taken a dent. Yet one analyst noted the silver lining: Bueckers is finally getting the respect her play deserves.

This observation was made by insider Robin Lundberg, who believes Bueckers is now being guarded with the same intensity that Clark has to deal with. “But since that [Sparks’ game] happened, it feels as if WNBA defenses have taken guarding her a little bit more personally. Last year, we saw Caitlin Clark guarded kind of personally,” he said. Lundberg also noted that Clark was intensely guarded since joining due to her hype and popularity. Players wanted to send a message that they can shut down Clark. But Bueckers received a completely different treatment from the start.

“With Paige, she’s been very welcomed in the WNBA. I feel she has made her presence felt in the league, but since that 44-point game, it does feel like opposing teams have taken guarding her a little bit more personally. In the sense of wanting to send extra personnel in her direction, wanting to shut her down, wanting to send a message,” said the analyst. Nneka Ogwumike also confirmed that all five players on Seattle were looking to stop Bueckers on offense. Sounds similar to CC being defended in 2024, right?

At times, four defenders surrounded Paige Bueckers. It sounds extreme, but the strategy works. Why? Bueckers does not have what Caitlin Clark had in 2024: a supporting cast that punished double-teams.

Paige Bueckers’ Situation Is a Stark Contrast to Caitlin Clark’s Rookie Support System

Right now, Bueckers is carrying Dallas. She leads the team with 19.0 points per game. Behind her is Maddy Siegrist at 12.1 as the second-highest scorer, Arike Ogunbowale, is out with an injury. That 6.9-point gap shows how thin the scoring support is. Furthermore, outside of Siegrist and Ogunbowale, the scoring depth disappears. There are only two other players who have a double-digit points average.

Rookie Amy Okonkwo hit double digits in average only because of two games with 20 total points. Dijonai Carrington once filled that role, but she is now with Minnesota. Others contribute in bursts, but none with the same consistency. That is why defenses swarm Bueckers.

Clark faced the same traps in 2024. The only difference is that she had help. Kelsey Mitchell matched her last year with 19.2 points per game. Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith chipped in 14.0 and 10.6. The Fever had balance. Dallas does not. With the season closing, teams know the formula: stop Bueckers and you stop the Wings. And they might use this as a stepping stone to climb higher in the leaderboards for the postseason.