Clark Drops Season-High 13 Assists in Fever Rout
It was a night WNBA fans had circled for months: the first true showdown between Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers. But while the Indiana Fever pulled away with a dominant 19-point win over the Dallas Wings, the postgame headlines weren’t about Clark’s brilliance, they were about ESPN’s take.
Despite Clark recording a season-high 13 assists and orchestrating a franchise-record 64-point first half, ESPN’s halftime commentary zeroed in on Bueckers.
“Caitlin Clark’s got help, Paige Bueckers needs more of it,” one analyst claimed.
That remark quickly became fuel for fan outrage online.
Caitlin Clark Makes Her Team Better
On paper, the Fever had five players in double figures. But the Wings weren’t far behind, with four players also scoring in double digits. Many fans felt ESPN’s narrative was dismissive of Clark’s impact and Bueckers’ supporting cast.
“Clark makes the players around her better. That’s the difference,” one user wrote.
“How is ESPN still spinning this like Paige was alone out there?”
Clark finished with 14 points and 13 assists on a tough shooting night (4-of-12). Yet her playmaking led directly to at least 26 points, the kind of floor general presence that elevates everyone.
Meanwhile, Bueckers had an efficient 21 points (9-of-15) and added 4 assists, becoming the fastest player since Diana Taurasi (2004) to hit 300 points, 50 assists, and 50 rebounds in a rookie season.
So why the slanted commentary?
Read More: Paige Bueckers Joins Caitlin Clark in Historic WNBA Rookie Club
ESPN’s “Lack of Help” Take Faces Reality Check
Many fans highlighted that Dallas isn’t short on talent, but rather consistency. The Wings’ roster includes Arike Ogunbowale, a four-time All-Star, and young standouts like JJ Quinerly, Aziaha James, Haley Jones, and Paige Bueckers herself.
What’s really hampered Dallas is health. The team is missing DiJonai Carrington, Maddy Siegrist, and Tyasha Harris due to injury. That’s a huge blow to rotation depth and chemistry.
Others pointed out how different the situations are:
“Caitlin took last year’s worst team to the playoffs. Paige went to a team that made the playoffs 3 of the last 4 years, now suddenly she needs help?”
The Fever had their own rebuild, but players like Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell give Clark a stronger foundation and fewer injury setbacks.
The ESPN segment might’ve tried to simplify the story, but fans weren’t having it. The truth? Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers are ushering in a new era of women’s basketball; one highlight, one assist, one buzzer-beater at a time.
So maybe instead of dividing them, it’s time to celebrate them. The WNBA is better with both.
Read More: Paige Bueckers Breaks WNBA Record, Surpassing Caitlin Clark
