​fINDIANAPOLIS, IN – APRIL 30: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark 22 is guarded by Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers 5 during a preseason game on April 30, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA APR 30 Preseason Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2604311 ©IMAGO/Icon SportswireCaitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have already become two of the WNBA’s best players, giving rise to a must-watch rivalry. Naturally, their tense exchange during their last faceoff generated a lot of attention, and for one WNBA legend, the culprit behind the situation was easy to name.During the August 26 episode of the Post Moves podcast, Candace Parker took the time to directly address the situation. She acknowledged that Clark, who was agitated, needed to control her emotions, but also explained she understood why the Indiana Fever superstar had become frustrated.“I kind of blame the refs a little bit because it’s like if you don’t hear a whistle, and obviously Paige was trying to foul,” she told co-host Aliyah Boston.“She’s fouling and then she fouls again. And I feel that a little bit. I mean obviously Caitlin, come on man. But at the same time the refs didn’t call the first one. I would have been like Paige though too. I’d been like, ‘Calm down, I’m trying to foul you.’”The Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers rivalry is already must-watch basketball. Subscribe for more interesting stories.During the game between the Fever and the Dallas Wings on August 20, with about 10 seconds left on the clock in the second quarter, Bueckers attempted to foul Clark by grabbing her arm to halt the possession before halftime.As Bueckers tried to finish the foul, it visibly irritated Clark in the moment. Then, both teams made their way toward the tunnel, and Clark flung the ball downcourt, and it sailed close enough to Bueckers’ head to turn heads. Words passed between the two guards right there on the floor, though the broadcast mics never picked up what was actually said.Still, as Parker mentioned, cameras caught Bueckers appearing to mouth “calm down.” Amazon Prime Video’s angle didn’t give a clean view of who exactly Bueckers was talking to, but that hasn’t stopped fans online from making up their minds about it.The friction, though, didn’t fade with the half. Even after Bueckers picked up a personal foul on the play, the edge between the two carried into the third quarter. With 7:55 remaining, Bueckers fouled Caitlin Clark again. Bueckers then pushed back on the call to the referees, and what started as a personal foul turned into a technical.After the game, though, Clark focused on Bueckers’ ability, praising her while choosing not to comment on the exchange.“Obviously, she’s an incredible player. [She] makes it really hard on us defensively… Paige is a tremendous player,” Clark told reporters during a postgame media availability. “