Caitlin Clark fans sneak diss league after Paige Bueckers' new honor - "Why couldn't they name it after whole WNBA?"

Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have not played a minute against each other in the WNBA. And yet, their respective fans are already squaring off on social media. When Hopkins, Minnesota, announced it would become Paige Bueckers, Minnesota on May 16, 2025, a parody account on X (formerly Twitter) could not hold back:

“Why couldn't they have named it after the whole WNBA?”

One fan said:

“They are trying to manufacture another Clark and its frankly sad. You cant create a star, they are born that way”

Another fan added:

Wnba just like Paige just to hate Caitlin Clark.

@intravelingman continued:

“Bad move. Sure she is a good player. But really? Naming a town after someone who hasn’t really accomplished all that much? Maybe in 10 years if/when she elevates women’s sports. What’s this town have like 20 people?”

@CArezident commented:

“make it sound like she the first pick in the NFL draft and changing the game. She's a solid player in an ok draft class. When the wings come to town ain’t no one moving venues.”

Paige Bueckers starred for Hopkins High School before playing for UConn in college. After leading the Huskies to the 2025 national championship and becoming the No. 1 pick in the WNBA, the city wanted to honor her accomplishments. The city council thought by naming the city after her for one day, they would be doing just that.

The City of Hopkins’ decision was not lost on fans. When Time Magazine named Clark its Athlete of the Year in December, Sheila Johnson pushed back.

The Washington Mystics team owner said on CNN that the award should have been given to the whole WNBA. According to Johnson, pinning such success to an individual sent the wrong message. Hopkins is following the route set by Time, which only fueled some Clark fans to troll the decision.

The comparisons between Clark and Bueckers are only bound to get more intense as the season draws near. On May 16, the noise might be louder than ever when fans of both players are expected to go back and forth on social media.

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Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever will face Paige Bueckers’ Dallas Wings in late June

Basketball fans cannot wait for the first game between Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers in the WNBA. They will get what they want on June 27 when the Indiana Fever visit the Dallas Wings for one of the season’s most highly anticipated showdowns.

The last time Clark and Bueckers shared the court, the former UConn star left the floor in tears. Clark led Iowa to a controversial 71-69 win against the Huskies in the 2024 Final Four. Bueckers stayed in college to help her school win the championship the following year.

In June 2025, Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers will meet again in the WNBA. It will be the first of many encounters between the two, who could become rivals in the pros.

Edited by Michael Macasero