Paige Bueckers reveals Fever star who is ‘toughest’ to guard, and it isn’t Caitlin Clark originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
As her debut season in Unrivaled continues, Paige Bueckers is learning how had it is to chase Kelsey Mitchell around the court.
Advertisement
Bueckers and Mitchell, both debuting in the 3-on-3 league this year, matched up as WNBA stars during the 2025 season. But as Bueckers told Kylie Kelce on her “Not Gonna Lie” podcast, Mitchell is even tougher to guard on a smaller court — and she’s already a lot to handle in 5-on-5.
MORE: This is when Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers will play each other in the 2026 WNBA season
“She’s so herky-jerky, quick and unpredictable,” Bueckers told Kelce. “(She has) speed and athleticism, but can shoot. Everything is tough to guard.”
Fans and media got an extended look at Mitchell’s full capabilities when the Indiana Fever ruled out Caitlin Clark after only 13 games played last season. Mitchell responded to Clark’s injury-related absences by setting a franchise record in points per game at 20.2 and leading Indiana to the WNBA semifinals — where an unfortunate bout with rhabdomyolysis ruled her out of the fifth and deciding game.
Advertisement
Granted, Bueckers isn’t going up against Clark in Unrivaled. Clark has yet to join the offseason league, and she had even less incentive to do so following her injury-wracked 2025 season.
But Bueckers’ praise for Mitchell goes to show that the Fever icon has plenty of her own admirers around the WNBA, especially after she secured a first-team All-WNBA nod in 2025.
