DALLAS, TX — The Dallas Wings practiced on Thursday at the American Airlines Center ahead of their highly-anticipated game against the Indiana Fever on Friday. Both Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark — the 2024 and 2025 No. 1 overall picks — have dealt with immense expectations. While speaking to reporters after Thursday's practice, Bueckers revealed her respect for the way Clark has handled the challenge.

“I would just say, like, she handles it with grace,” Bueckers told reporters. “The pressure that she's put on every single night to perform at the level that she does… It's inhumane really to expect people to be perfect and to not have off games or off nights. If she doesn't go, like, eight-for-ten from three, like, people are questioning things. It's unfair to have to deal with that. But I'm sure she has a great team around her and great people to help her.

“And I know she's a great person at dealing with it… Just tuning out the noise and just continue to be there for herself and for her team. But, I mean, the expectations, it's tough when you listen to it so I'm sure she has a great way of tuning it out.”

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Paige Bueckers is in the middle of a strong rookie season. Caitlin Clark is in her second WNBA campaign. Watching Clark go through her rookie year with extremely high expectations surely gave Bueckers a guide on how to deal with the situation.

Bueckers, though, is more concerned with the expectations she places upon herself.

“For me, it's, like, the pressure I put on myself,” Bueckers said. “I'm a perfectionist. I think every shot I shoot should go in and so when it doesn't… But then also, like she talked about, just being able to give yourself grace and know that you are not perfect… There's gonna be ups and downs. There's gonna be good games and bad games. But as long as you keep it forward, keep pushing and keep learning and keep growing from game to game, that's all you can ask for.”

Clark is not playing on Thursday in the Fever's game against the Los Angeles Sparks due to a groin injury. Her status has yet to be revealed for Friday's contest. Fans are certainly hopeful that they will get to see the Paige Bueckers-Caitlin Clark matchup.