In 2024, the WNBA transformed into Kronos, the unstoppable Titan of Time. The league fast-forwarded a few years of slow growth to just one year of intense spike. They had the 2024 class of rookies arriving like demigods to propel the league to different heights. Caitlin Clark carried the brunt of the weight, but you had Angel Reese making waves, too. The class and the spike could have been even more impactful, as it had one prominent name missing: Paige Bueckers.

Her injuries forced Bueckers to delay her WNBA arrival, and it was a loss for the WNBA. She proved that with her 2025 rookie season. Three-time NBA Champion and Chicago Sky owner Dwayne Wade went as far as to give Buecker’s delay the credit for Clark’s rapid rise.”I’m like, ‘Oh, I think Paige Bueckers is going to be, you know, one of those goats, right?’ And then Paige suffered, you know, the ACL injuries in college. Opened up that window for Caitlin Clark,” He said. That is a debate for another day, but Bueckers is on the same talent tier as Clark and Reese  

With these three carrying the torch for the league at least in the next decade or so, people were intrigued as to who was the best prospect among those in the latest list released by ESPN.  The “25 under 25” list released by the media house put Caitlin Clark right at the top, putting Bueckers at No.2. You had Indiana Fever forward and Clark’s partner in crime, Aliyah Boston, in No.4. Seattle Storm’s 19-year-old “female Wemby” Dominique Malonga took the fourth spot. For Angel Reese, you had to scroll all the way down to No.5. As always, the community is firing back, unsatisfied and ready to debate every ranking.

Caitlin Clark At The Top Set Off a Fierce Fan Firestorm

The biggest surprise for the fans was Angel Reese coming in outside of the top 3. She has been a double-double machine in both of her seasons in the W, but the players ahead of her are no joke either. Boston is arguably among the best forwards in the league already, while Malonga is the biggest “wildcard” of the WNBA this season. However, as two of the three most popular players in the league, Reese and Bueckers have plenty of defenders. 

“Paige clears cc” were the first words from the Bueckers fandom, and given her recent exploits, it’s fair to question her second place. Even ESPN admitted, “Ranking these young players required making some hard calls, particularly at the top, where Boston, Bueckers and Clark have all shown MVP potential.”  Both are at the same level of talent, which sparks even more intense debate as another asked, “Crazy to say Paige> CC?”. 

The majority of the experts and the fans still have Clark’s Rookie Of The Year campaign above Bueckers. Statistically, Bueckers is still behind Clark. Bueckers has averaged 19.0 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds, while Clark averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds in her first WNBA season. Caitlin Clark’s injury troubles have meant a slight recency bias among the fans, the numbers tell the story. Like Michael Voepel wrote in the article, “When healthy, Clark’s impact is enormous.”

“Angel is better than Paige.” Wrote another fan. There is certainly a contentious argument to be made for this if we consider their current performances in the league. In that case, Reese’s extra year plays into her favour. “We’ve put them in order based on their expected peak value rather than current production,” wrote ESPN, which essentially means it’s not about current performance but about what their peak could look like. Bueckers has more things going for her in terms of her all-around game in the long term, while Reese is more of a one-dimensional player. Even Candace Parker had her in the C-tier while mentioning that she was a great talent, but still rough around the edges. 

“Angel Reese should not be ahead of Citron. Are you serious?” Remarked another fan. Amid the big three of the league, Sonia Citron was on the verge of snagging the Rookie Of The Year from Bueckers. Pairing up with fellow rookie Kiki Iriafen, they almost took the youngest team in the league to the playoffs. While their recent run has put them well outside the realm of postseason, it’s something Reese has not done with Kamilla Cardoso in Chicago. 

That is a sore spot in Reese’s WNBA career, but this list focuses on individual potential, which Reese has consistently demonstrated in impressive ways. While she is still developing talent, she has shown signs of improvement in her weak areas, like her assist average going from 1.9 to 3.7, which is what the article cites in her ranking, along with her efficiency. That extra year gave her the edge, and Citron might sneak among the top if she shows similar signs next season. In any case, the debate goes on. Each player has their own journey, but the only unanimous take is that the W is rich with talent. Be it Bueckers, Clark, or anyone, the league is blessed with ballers.