WNBA: AUG 30 Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky - Source: Getty

5 players who could eclipse Angel Reese as Caitlin Clark's main rival ft. Paige Bueckers

Modified Dec 22, 2024 03:12 GMT

There's never been more talent in women's basketball and a new generation of players want to show that they can rival the WNBA's it-girl.

Caitlin Clark was at the heart of the fever pitch that hit women's basketball this year. By far one of the most compelling aspects of her story was the rivalry between rookies her and Angel Reese, but after Reese suffered a season-ending wrist injury people have searched for who could fill the role.

The college players who can replace Reese as Caitlin Clark's main rival include Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo, Flau'jae Johnson, and Kiki Iriafen.

5 players who could eclipse Angel Reese as Caitlin Clark's main rival ft. Paige Bueckers

1. Paige Bueckers

Basketball Hall of Fame Invesco QQQ Women's Showcase: Iowa State v Connecticut - Source: Getty

The first name that may jump to mind is Paige Bueckers, and it's not hard to understand why. Bueckers is a guard from the University of Connecticut who's been dominating women's college basketball since she was a freshman. Her accolades include AP Player of the Year, All-American, the Naismith and Wooden Awards and more.

This season Bueckers is averaging 20.6 points, 4 assists, and 4.6 rebounds, shooting over 58% from the field while leading UConn to a 10-1 record and the first seed in the Big East. Bueckers can shoot the ball from deep and is crafty when driving similar to Caitlin Clark, making it easy to imagine the two directly facing off against one another.

2. JuJu Watkins

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: DEC 15 Women's - Elon at USC - Source: Getty

One of the hottest names in all of college basketball is JuJu Watkins. The six foot two guard who plays for the University of Southern California is only a sophmore but has been lighting up the competition like a professional. Watkins is a polished scorer and ball-handler with a fluidity to her game that may even surpass Caitlin Clark.

Her size give Watkins a level of physical imposition on both ends of the court and she's currently averaging 24.7 points, 3.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds, along with 2.5 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. USC is currently 10-1 and are sixth in the Big Ten conference. Watching Watkins use her handle to try and break down Caitlin Clark is an exciting prospect for fans.

Watkins and Bueckers face off tonight as USC and UConn collide.

3. Hannah Hidalgo

Connecticut v Notre Dame - Source: Getty

Hannah Hidalgo is a 5 foot 6 stick of dynamite who you can find everywhere on the court. The sophmore guard for Notre Dame is averaging 25.2 points, 3.8 assists, 6.8 rebounds while shooting 43.1% from 3 on over 5 attempts per game. Despite her size which may lead one to think she's a defensive liability, Hidalgo is actually quite the playmaker on that end.

She's averaging an eye-popping 4.2 steals a game which ranks second in the NCAAW, and poking the ball away from ball-handlers like Caitlin Clark is a specialty of Hidalgo's. The Fighting Irish are fifth in the ACC with a 9-2 overall record and they've won four games in a row.

4. Flau'jae Johnson

LSU v University of Illinois at Chicago - Source: Getty

Flau'jae Johnson was just a freshman when LSU beat Caitlin Clark and Iowa to win the national championship in 2023 but since then she's steadily grown into quite a formidable player. The junior guard is averaging a team-leading 20.9 points, 3.1 assists, and 6 rebounds per game. The form teammate of Angel Reese has become as capable as she is confident.

Johnson has a strong handle and has made great strides as a shooter, currently knocking down 51.9% of all her shots and 41.8% from beyond the 3-point line. Johnson has her fair share of run-ins with Caitlin Clark and will likely embrace the challenge when she gets to the pros.

5. Kiki Iriafen

Kiki Iriafen only has one season to play at USC but she is making the most of it. The six foot three senior played her first three seasons at Stanford where she developed into one of the frontcourt players and rebounders in all of women's college basketball. In her last season before transferring, the California native won Pac-12 Most Improved Player of the Year and took home the 2024 Katrina McClain Award for the best power forward in the country.

She's now averaging 18.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game as part of the two-headed snake that leads USC. Iriafen could potentially be similar to Angel Reese as rival to Caitlin Clark, where the two don't frequently get matched up on each other, but they dominate the game in seperate ways.