“Against all odds, wouldn’t trade this team for the world. Still got a whole lot left to prove.” After missing the entire 2022-23 season due to an ACL injury, Paige Bueckers had chosen to play for one more final year of college basketball. She is determined to make this season count, aiming to demonstrate her skills and solidify her status as a top contender for the No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA draft. And with her recent accomplishments, it appears she is on the right track. In this context, we remember Charles Barkley echoing the earlier comparisons with Caitlin Clark.

As Bueckers and the Huskies prepare to kick off the new NCAA season, exciting news lifts team spirits and fuels Bueckers’ determination. The UConn redshirt senior has been named to the preseason AP All-America team, a prestigious honor announced by the Associated Press. UConn wasted no time celebrating the achievement, taking to X to proudly share the news, “Paige Bueckers is an @AP Preseason All-American!”

Coming off an impressive season last year, the 23-year-old led the UConn Huskies to the Final Four, where she was nothing short of stellar. Averaging 21.9 points per game, she also tallied 53 blocks and 86 steals, all while maintaining one of the most efficient shooting splits in the nation at .530/.416/.834. Despite her standout performance, Bueckers’ team ultimately fell short against the Iowa Hawkeyes, who then boasted the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year, Caitlin Clark, on their roster.

However, her recent AP All-American selection means she has just replicated something that her future WNBA rival had also achieved during her college career. And this translates to some of Charles Barkley’s comments from the past already ringing true about the UConn guard.

Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark: Parallels grow as Charles Barkley already declared it before

Just like Bueckers, former Iowa star Caitlin Clark earned the title of AP Preseason All-American last year after guiding Iowa to the championship game, where they ultimately fell to LSU. If we think back to Charles Barkley’s appearance on the Throwback podcast a few weeks ago, he mentioned that Bueckers belong in the same category as Clark and that comparison is starting to hold true.

“If that girl stays healthy, she is in the conversation with JuJu and Caitlin for the next 20 years,” Barkley remarked, highlighting how people tend to forget that Bueckers was once regarded as one of the greatest high school talents. Unfortunately, injuries have held her back from reaching her full potential. After playing for a couple of years, Bueckers encountered a setback before entering her junior year as she sustained a torn ACL injury ruling her out of the season.

With Caitlin Clark going No. 1 in this year’s WNBA draft, all eyes are now on Paige Bueckers for the top spot next season. Speculation is already swirling that Bueckers will be the first pick, with several franchises eager to secure the coveted lottery selection. Since high school, both players have shared the spotlight, with Bueckers ranked No. 1 and Clark ranked No. 4. Their dominance carried over into national tournaments, solidifying their reputations as two of the best in the game.

Now, with another similarity striking with Buecker’s AP Preseason All-American accolade, the anticipation for her next chapter only gets intense, as she seems poised to follow in Clark’s footsteps.