Paige Bueckers calls for media to 'spread the love' to more than one player

Women’s basketball is more popular than ever. Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark has led the surge in attention with her highlight-heavy style. While UConn’s Paige Bueckers is happy Clark is drawing in new fans to the sport, she hopes the media can spread the spotlight.

“Media coverage is important for the game. I think it grows the game,” Bueckers said. “I know freshman year I was like the media darling. Everybody was focused on me and what I did at UConn my freshman year.

“But, I think it’s more important for the game to share the spotlight to grow the game and show all the stars of college basketball and not just focus on one particular player, whether it be me, Caitlin, JuJu [Watkins], Angel [Reese]. There’s so many names in college basketball now that are huge, that are stars that deserve credit.”

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Bueckers certainly knows what it’s like to be under the media’s magnifying glass. In her debut campaign at UConn, Bueckers was the face of women’s basketball. It was impossible to scroll social media without seeing the first-year standout.

After missing last season with a torn ACL, the spotlight slightly softened on Bueckers. Now, it shines brightly on Clark. On Saturday, Clark and Iowa’s showdown against LSU in the Elite Eight averaged 12.3 million viewers, ESPN announced.

The astounding figure is not only a record for women’s basketball, but is also the most viewers for a college basketball game in the network’s history. It wasn’t the only the storyline that drew in droves of fresh eyes.

Media across the nation flooded fans with content surrounding the matchup. From betting lines to pre-game quotes, potential viewers had no shortage of opportunities to learn about the highly-anticipated contest.

Although the following matchup between USC-UConn also received publicity, it wasn’t to the same extent. The viewership numbers reflected the discrepancy. The game only drew in 6.7 million viewers; still higher than usual, but a far cry from the record-shattering numbers Iowa-LSU raked in.

Paige Bueckers hopes media around the country can provide similar attention to other deserving candidates.

“It’s not my job, but the media can do a better job of just making sure everybody gets love, everybody gets not equal amount of attention but try to spread it out more,” Bueckers said. “I honestly hope next year I’m not the focal point and the only person that gets attention. And I hope, as media, as players we can spread the love a little bit more.”