“Paige Bueckers is antithesis of how fans view Caitlin Clark”: A’ja Wilson’s friend claims fans use Wings star’s 'whiteness' to dismiss black women

On Thursday, A’ja Wilson’s friend, Michael McManus, claimed Wings star Paige Bueckers is the antithesis of how Caitlin Clark is viewed in sports. McManus said that since Bueckers is a white woman, fans use her race to dismiss talented black players in the league and specifically, Kiki Iriafen.

“The funniest thing about race in the WNBA, Paige is the antithesis of how fans view CC in sports," McManus said. "Yet, as a white woman, black men and other fans are still using her whiteness to refute and dismiss other talented black women in the league, specifically Kiki.”

McManus also claimed that Bueckers presents herself as an ally to her colleagues, but is still used in the same manner as Caitlin Clark. Wilson’s friend used the tweet below as “evidence” of his claim:

“Y’all was puttin Sonia Citron n Kiki Iriafen in Paige Bueckers talks. Very shameful.”

It is worth noting that the tweet McManus used as evidence also includes Sonia Citron, who is a white woman. As for the tweet itself, it’s not entirely truthful, as the three rookies aren’t that far from each other.

Bueckers is averaging 17.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. Meanwhile, Kiki Iriafen (14.6 points and 9.4 rebounds) and Sonia Citron (13.7 points and 4.3 rebounds) have also been stellar for the Washington Mystics.

In fact, Citron and Iriafen have done better with the Washington Mystics (4-6) than Bueckers has with the Wings (1-10).

A closer look at Paige Bueckers’ numbers from her career night vs. the Phoenix Mercury

Paige Bueckers had the best game of her young career against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday. She finished with 35 points, six rebounds and four assists while going 13-for-19 from the field and 5-for-7 from 3-point range.

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She is now averaging the most points and assists out of all the rookies from the 2025 draft class. Unfortunately, the Wings have struggled despite Bueckers’ stellar production. They are 13th in the league, after winning only one of their first 11 games.

On the court, they will take on the Las Vegas Aces at the Michelob ULTRA Arena on Friday. With how she played against the Mercury, it wouldn’t be surprising if Bueckers explodes for another big night against the Aces.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by nagpaltusharn25