Overview
- The league’s annual GM survey, released Tuesday, put Bueckers at 33% for the player to start a franchise, with Clark and A’ja Wilson tied at 20%.
- General managers forecast a title race led by the Las Vegas Aces at 40%, followed by the New York Liberty at 33% and the Atlanta Dream at 27%, with the Indiana Fever receiving no votes.
- Analysts pointed to availability as a key factor, noting Bueckers played all 36 games and won Rookie of the Year in 2025 while Clark appeared in 13 due to groin, ankle, and quad issues.
- Separate business reporting shows Clark’s commercial pull, with Sportico estimating the Fever’s valuation jumped from about $90 million to $560 million since drafting her in 2024.
- Clark enters 2026 healthy by all reports, and Indiana’s May 9 home opener against Bueckers and Dallas now serves as an early read on how those GM evaluations stack up on the floor.