Paige Bueckers’ arrival is the most anticipated debut this season. And as the season opener approaches, the build-up to Bueckers’ rookie season is intensifying. She has recently won the National Championship, which seems to mirror Caitlin Clark’s career path. She seldom escapes comparison to the Indiana Fever star due to their similar size and popularity. Analysts have been wondering whether Clark’s stellar rookie season will raise the expectation bar for the Dallas Wings’ No. 1 overall pick. Over the last few years, there has been an increased sense of hostility towards the rookies. Moreover, players like Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, who came off spectacular college careers, seem to have a bigger target on their backs. Caitlin Clark was at the end of the highest number of fouls against a rookie. According to Stat Surge, Caitlin was on the receiving side of 6 flagrant fouls last season, which is double that of the next player on the list. While Clark faced muted hostility on the court, analysts are anticipating whether Paige will be on the same end of the stick as Clark. National Analyst Sabreena Merchant on the podcast, ‘No Offseason: The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show’, evaluated Bueckers’ anticipated rookie season. While discussing the possibility of ill-treatment, Sabreena noted, “You know, I think part of it is just like, because we’ve already gone through the Caitlyn and Angel part of it, that there’s going to be less of, oh, do the players hate her?” Merchant believes that Caitlin and Angel have already borne the brunt of the league’s vets and imagines lesser hate for the Wings rookie. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Merchant went on to say that the bully narrative, which was prevalent last season, will not be as extensive going into this season. Merchant says that the presumption of old players disliking new players was a bit “Worn Out.” Sabreena also believes that the Huskies’ legacy will have a huge role in helping Paige transition into the NBA. “I’m like, I don’t think it’s going to, you know, have the same sort of resonance. But, you know, I think something about Paige just feels a lot more familiar to me than like the Kaitlyn Angel experience, because like she does come from UConn, right?” Sabreena also mentioned during the podcast, “Like there is a long history of these players who have come, like, through the Huskies pipeline.” Being a UConn player brings a sense of familiarity to the team, as it is one of the most successful college programs heading into the NBA. Paige is indeed a special player, but we can compare her to many players that came before her, unlike Clark, who took the league by storm. Bueckers taunts fellow teammate, “She can’t guard me.” Bueckers is starting her NBA journey with a bang! The former UConn guard displays her competitiveness as the Dallas Wings’ X Page posted her trash talk on her current teammate. Paige was a vocal competitor in college and faced off against some formidable opponents. Her new teammate, DiJonai Carrington, seemingly got the taste of Paige’s trash talk. Carrington, who played for Baylor, faced off against Paige in 2021. In the course of the NCAA matchup, the Huskies guard supposedly yelled out, “DiJonai can’t guard me” during her 69-67 win over Baylor. While Paige poked fun at her teammate’s defensive abilities, DiJonai had a quick, witty response of her own. In just a minute, DiJonai reciprocated the one-liner with one of her quips. The Dallas Wings X page quoted her as saying, “#GetPaigeSomeSunlight -DiJonai Carrington.” ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad After Dallas’ forgettable season last year, the team is hoping for an astounding comeback. Having players like Bueckers, Carrington, and Arike Ogunbowale in their lineup, it will be quite an optimistic year for the Wings. And we cannot wait to see how their off-court chemistry translates to on-court performance.