"UConn mafia runs the WNBA"- Fans slam league’s double standard in handling Caitlin Clark & Paige Bueckers’ ROTY moment

On Tuesday, Paige Bueckers was announced as the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year. The presentation of the award to Bueckers was no simple ceremony, as the Dallas Wings star received the honor via a festive production on "The Jennifer Hudson Show."

Though this was a huge moment for Bueckers, fans couldn't help but compare this award presentation to the more simplistic announcement of Clark's ROTY win. Last year, CC found out about the accolade through a phone call with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after a practice session.

Meanwhile, Engelbert appeared in person on the set of "The Jennifer Hudson Show" to personally congratulate Bueckers.

After the clip of Bueckers' ROTY announcement went viral, fans posted their reactions on social media.

"uconn mafia runs the @WNBA not surprised," one fan tweeted.

As some fans pointed out, Clark was in the midst of playoff preparations when she found out that she'd been named Rookie of the Year. Last season, the Fever were on the road for their first-round series against the Connecticut Sun. It's possible, then, that the logistics might have played a factor in the case of Clark's ROTY announcement.

Nevertheless, Bueckers gets to add another accolade to her already stacked trophy case. Though the Wings failed to make the playoffs this year, Bueckers made her first All-Star game appearance. Now, she has officially bested other talented rookies like Washington Mystics wing Sonia Citron by winning a lopsided vote to determine the Rookie of the Year.

To be specific, Bueckers got all but two of the 72 media votes to clinch the award. This gives the Wings guard a strong ending to her debut season, even if some fans aren't happy with how she got a grander ceremony compared to Clark.

"They all deserve Teammates of the Year": Paige Bueckers expresses gratitude to Wings players after winning ROTY award

Shortly after receiving the ROTY trophy, Bueckers went on Instagram to thank her Wings teammates for their support in her rookie year.

"Unconditional joy and gratitude, so much to be thankful for. Love my squad, they all deserve Teammates of the Year in my book, nothing is possible without them," Bueckers wrote in part.

Bueckers ended her post by encouraging her teammates to "keep on keeping on" and quoting Proverbs 16:9, a verse that she often cites.

About the author

Simoun Victor Redoblado is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over 12 years of experience writing for publications such as Collider, ALL-STAR Magazine, and Sir Charles in Charge.

Simoun has a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education, Major in English and Minor in journalism. Thanks to the journalism courses that he took, Simoun understood the fundamentals of journalistic storytelling in the context of sports writing.

Passionate for the UP Fighting Maroons, Simoun is a fan of the NBA, PBA, UAAP, and FIBA.
His childhood team was the Chicago Bulls and Simoun was a longtime supporter of the Houston Rockets because his friends would say he looked like Yao Ming.

Simoun loves the systematic, tactical movement of the ball and the players, the stories behind each individual competing on the hardcourt and most of all, how basketball is a sport for life and all its struggles and lessons.

A father of two, Simoun spends his free time with his kids.

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Edited by Simoun Victor Redoblado