Caitlin Clark's true rival is undeniable (and it's not Angel Reese)

Let's be real about who Caitlin Clark's rival should be as she builds her career in the W. She and Paige Bueckers were on a parallel course throughout their college careers until the unfortunate injury that cost Paige her junior season. Angel Reese has been unfairly thrust into the role of rival, but there's nothing but disingenuousness in that label, and it's time we shut it down.

Angel Reese shouldn't be Caitlin Clark's rival for several reasons

First of all, let's start with the fact that they don't play the same position, nor do they have similar playstyles. Not every rivalry needs that, but it helps. Tim Duncan vs Kobe Bryant was really about how the San Antonio Spurs stacked up against the Los Angeles Lakers. Duncan and Shaq would have been a more apt comparison, and we heard about that more than we did the former.

This would be like A'ja Wilson beefing with Kelsey Mitchell. No disrespect to Kelsey because she's a good player, but she'd have no business trying to rival the two-time MVP and WNBA champion. That's the vibe I get from listening to this drivel about Reese supposedly not liking Clark, which we don't know to be the case. People just want to speculate and cause drama.

The problem is that there has been a vile racial component that has overtaken what should have been, at the very most, a fun matchup. It's not Clark's fault, but Reese has been attacked viciously for things not basketball-related, and that takes all the fun out of it. This is supposed to be about basketball, and if the fans can't act accordingly, their media-made rivalry should be stopped.

Paige Bueckers is a more comparable player to Clark than Reese

They're both guards, which means there will be a more realistic chance that they'll have to spend possessions defending each other. That's immediate box office appeal right there. While their games are a little different, both players can be the hub of their team's offense. Clark's explosive plays and Paige's efficiency are the engines that will drive the Fever and Wings to the top.

Bueckers just showed that when she went 8-10 to take down the Connecticut Sun for the Wings' first win of the season. Sure, the Sun isn't the powerhouse they were last year, but 8-10 is 8-10, and they were mostly made with her patented pull-up jumper.

The former UConn star has a nasty midrange game, and it's served her well throughout her career. That contrast in style gives us another interesting nugget to discuss when comparing the two players, and finding out which one will be more impactful will be must-see TV.

Most times, you'd want the players in the same conference, too, but Magic Johnson and Larry Bird weren't, and they were heated rivals. Besides, the size of the WNBA affords them the chance to play four times this season, and being in opposing conferences gives us a chance to see them meet in the WNBA Finals. We can only hope.