The official schedule for the 2026 WNBA season has been released. Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings will play in the opening game against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to kick off the league’s 30th season on May 9.
This matchup has been the subject of much discussion, especially because their rivalry dates back to their college days and because they only faced each other once last year. However, for one week in September, they could be teammates, and Bueckers spoke about this.
Bueckers talks about her rivalry with CC
The competition between the two dates back to when Clark played for the Iowa Hawkeyes and Bueckers for UConn. After Caitlin was selected with the first pick in the WNBA draft by the Fever in 2024 and Paige was selected by Dallas in 2025, this matchup seems to have continued.
Unfortunately, injuries only allowed Clark and Bueckers to face each other once, on July 13 in a game that ended in a 102-83 victory for the Fever. Caitlin scored 14 points, 13 assists, and five steals, while Paige finished with 21 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
However, in December 2025, both Paige and Caitlin had their first training camp with the U.S. senior national basketball team and shared practices and moments together.
This wasn’t the first time they shared the court, but they could be teammates on the senior national team at the upcoming FIBA World Cup, which will be held in Germany from September 4 to 13.
However, all that competitiveness seems to stay on the court, as Paige confirmed in her recent appearance on the podcast “Not Gonna Lie,” hosted by Kylie Kelce, wife of retired Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce.
“A lot of us, me and Caitlin even played together at the Junior Olympic level when we were younger, we were in high school and it was always a fun time,” Paige began.
The Wings star then referred to the rivalry between her and Clark: “It’s crazy because everyone has been pitting me and Caitlin against each other for the longest time. And we’re cool, we’re friends. But again, it’s respect for the competition, so we understand that,” Bueckers said, adding, “We understand how the media works and how they want to pit two people against each other and they’re supposed to hate each other, and blah blah blah. So we all understand that, and it’s all in the love of the game.”
However, far from ending there, the 2025 ROTY assured that it will be fun to see the reactions of fans who support one or the other having to come together:
But at the same time, to have two fanbases that really hate each other have to come together for a couple months will be really fun. Everybody will just have to get along for a little bit.
Meanwhile, as Paige, Caitlin, and their teammates continue to enjoy the WNBA postseason, the start of a new season is fraught with uncertainty as the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) and the players are unable to agree on a collective bargaining agreement.
The players are pushing for a model that includes approximately 30% revenue sharing, salaries capped at $12.5 million, and better conditions. However, the league is offering a model that would pay players more than 70% of net revenue after expenses such as medical care, travel, and facilities.
Without a doubt, a quick solution will be essential if they want to start a season with two new teams, Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, and a 44-game schedule, which has already been announced.
Read the full article here
