Paige Bueckers, one of the brightest stars in women’s college basketball, is currently navigating a challenging emotional period following severe criticism from a vocal group of fans—particularly one who claims to be a supporter of WNBA star Caitlin Clark.

The comment that has shaken Bueckers, a fan’s harsh dismissal, reads: “She just wants to be CC, there will be no national championship,” suggesting that Bueckers is attempting to mirror Clark’s game, and that her aspirations for success are ultimately doomed.

The remark, made on social media, quickly gained traction, sparking debates among fans, critics, and even players.

For Bueckers, who has already faced personal adversity with a devastating ACL injury and is in the midst of regaining her place among the elite in women’s college basketball, the criticism has struck a particularly emotional chord.

The message—“She just wants to be CC, there will be no national championship”—is an attack on more than just Bueckers’ basketball style; it cuts at her identity as a player.

The message implies that Bueckers is somehow insufficient on her own, and instead of building on her own legacy, she is simply trying to imitate Caitlin Clark, one of the sport’s most dominant figures.

To many fans of Bueckers, this criticism feels like a personal affront—both a devaluation of her talent and a dismissal of the struggles she’s faced to get back on the court after a devastating injury.

Bueckers’ sadness stems not only from the content of the criticism but also from the larger implications of it.

The comment implies a fixed, unchangeable narrative about her future—a narrative in which Bueckers is bound to fail because she is supposedly imitating someone else.

This kind of harsh judgment is difficult to shake off, especially when it contradicts everything Bueckers has worked for throughout her career.