Can Paige Bueckers challenge Caitlin Clark in the trading card world? Plus the other names to know
As Caitlin Clark claimed the top spot on the list of most valuable women's sports cards of all-time last month, a new group of basketball stars was making a name for themselves in the NCAA tournament. Now, ahead of the WNBA Draft, where national champion Paige Bueckers is getting all the headlines, women's sports card expert Annemarie Farrell answers some of the bigger questions facing the women's basketball card world and highlights the names beyond Bueckers and Clark that collectors should pay attention to.
First, here are a few notable Bueckers college cards:
The NCAA tournament provides a great vehicle for athletes to become household names, elevating their brand on the biggest stage. This year was no exception as several athletes saw their popularity rise, positioning themselves as prime targets for collectors.
Azzi Fudd
The Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, Fudd wasn't on the sidelines this year rehabbing a torn ACL like she was last year. Her versatility was key to UConn's championship run, highlighted by her 11 third quarter points in the final, a UConn Women's Basketball record. Collectors looking for Fudd in a mainstream Topps or Panini product will have to wait for now. Her first licensed card was through the company, The Player's Trunk. In 2022 they released a team set featuring debut cards of key players such as Azzi Fudd (#1), Nika Muhl (#6), and Aailyah Edwards (#2). ONIT did include Fudd in their UConn team release in 2023-24, and Panini followed with an Instant auto (#71, pictured above) and post-championship release.
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Kiki Iriafen
Going into March Madness, Iriafen was considered by many to be a lock for the third pick in the upcoming WNBA draft. And while the recent announcement of Olivia Miles' return for her final collegiate season, albeit at TCU, has shifted projections, Iriafen's strong March performance and leadership in the absence of JuJu Watkins only raised her profile. Iriafen is included in 2024 Leaf Metal Women of Sport (#45), 2023-24 Panini Prizm Draft Picks, and 2024-25 Bowman University Chrome (#47).
Aneesah Morrow
The WNBA bound Morrow had the best game of her college career in the 2025 Sweet 16, dropping 30 points with 19 rebounds to lead the comeback against NC State. Scoring 2,500 and fetching 1,500 rebounds in a college career certainly turns heads, but her card options have been largely limited to Leaf products. Morrow has appeared in several Leaf releases, beginning with 2022-23 Leaf Draft, and more recently, making her hobby licensed debut in 2024-25 Bowman University Chrome. For those interested in print-to-order options, she has two cards through the Bowman U Now platform.
Sarah Strong
To be clear, the NCAA Tournament didn't put Strong on collector radars, but it did show that the Freshmen of the Year recipient has lived up to her hype. While her cards were sought after in the recent Topps McDonald's All-American set, prices cooled quickly after it was released, and only after her historic 114-point tournament scoring achievement have her cards crept back up. Several print-to-order cards featuring Strong were released by Panini and Topps following the championship game, adding even more options for collectors already chasing her in Bowman University Chrome.
While a small dip might be expected I certainly wouldn't expect it to last long. My experience from recent breaks of Bowman University Chrome suggest that collectors still have a strong desire for her cards. Online break pricing for the USC team spots, or her solo spots, were consistently priced only behind Cooper Flagg. Though she may be sidelined for part of next season, her recent exclusive deal with Fanatics signals that Watkins will remain very much at the forefront of women's basketball cards and collectibles.
Bueckers cards will be in high demand, especially for her licensed WNBA card debut. Though anything is possible, I don't foresee the kind of seemingly insatiable appetite for all things Bueckers the way the hobby has experienced with Caitlin Clark. There are clearly more buyers in this hobby space today, and this draft class, as well as those coming up in the near future, have lots of stars to keep collectors happy.
The second question might actually be easier. Bueckers should be the tougher name to spell. Should. But considering how many incorrect spellings I see on a daily basis of Clark's name, I fear the phantom 'y' in her first name might be here to stay.
It's a great time to be buying WNBA cards, however I am happily ignoring many of the biggest prospects including Bueckers, Watkins, and Clark. Those players are in high demand, with prices reflecting such. In contrast, many WNBA veterans and legend cards are still wildly undervalued, particularly in comparison to Clark's recent sales. However, two prospects who have flown a bit under the hobby radar that I'm happily buying up are Sonia Citron and Ta'Niya Latson.
Citron's size and versatility will make her a lottery pick with the upside to collectors as a rookie who can make an instant impact on the professional level. She was featured in 2024 Leaf Metal Women of Sport, followed by releases from Bowman U Now (including a dual auto with Hannah Hidalgo) and the recent 2024-25 Bowman University Chrome (#64).
Though Latson received the 2023 WBCA and USBWA Freshman of the Year Awards and led the nation this past season in scoring average, her national profile was perhaps limited since she played for Florida State. This changes next season as she takes her game from Tallahassee, through the transfer portal, to prime-time South Carolina. And unlike many highly touted players, she only has one mainstream card in the 2022 Topps Chrome McDonald's All American (#29 & #77) release so far.
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(Top image: Scott Rausenberger-Imagn Images)
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Bailey can attack the paint and stretch defenses with his range. He had five January games with at least four made 3s while shooting 34.6% from behind the arc on the season. The versatility and athleticism indicates defensive potential, too. He averaged 1.3 blocks and had six games with at least three blocks in Big Ten play. Concerns: Adding strength would help him against bumps and physical play by stronger defenders, such as improving on finishing just 42.1% of layups in the halfcourt at Rutgers. There's a streakiness in his shot, such as making 12 of 31 free throws (.387) over a six-game midseason stretch or 7 of 39 3-pointers (.179) after January. There's also the awkward question of Bailey's impact beyond stats considering the Scarlet Knights had a losing record despite Bailey teaming with another one-and-done prospect in likely No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper. Strengths: The 6-7, 217-pound Knueppel was an efficient wing scorer with size and defense-stretching range. The freshman lottery prospect made 40.6% of his 3s and ranked in Synergy's 98th percentile when it came to overall spot-up shooting (52.9%), with nearly three-quarters of those attempts coming from behind the arc. He also ranked sixth in Division I by shooting 91.4% at the foul line, and stood out as ACC Tournament MVP when Flagg was sidelined by injury. And Knueppel had 10 games with at least four assists as a secondary playmaker. Concerns: Knueppel isn't an elite athlete, so there's a question of matching up against quicker or more explosive opponents. Strengths: The sophomore lottery prospect has a strong 6-7, 240-pound frame and a nearly 7-1 wingspan. He thrived in the halfcourt (shooting 57.9% to rank in Synergy's 88th percentile), and has contributed as a scorer (16.8) and rebounder (8.3). He also averaged 1.3 blocks and 1.5 steals, indicating the potential for him to defend multiple positions. Concerns: His shooting touch is a major question after he went 0 for 5 from 3-point range as a freshman, then just 9 for 34 (.265) as a sophomore. He also made just 69.5% of his free throws in two college seasons. There's also the risk of being the 'tweener' who is too slow to guard outside and too small to defend in the paint. Carter Bryant: Arizona's 6-7, 215-pound freshman reserve shot 37.1% on 3s and a block per game despite playing just 19 minutes a night. Throw in a 39.5-inch max vertical leap, and he's a possible lottery pick. Noa Essengue: The lanky 6-9, 194-pound Frenchman is a potential late lottery pick. Essengue, who turns 19 in December, has been honing his versatile skillset with Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany. Liam McNeeley: The freshman jumped right in as a starter for two-time reigning national champion UConn. He's a first-round prospect as a floor-stretching wing with size (6-7, 215) and shotmaking ability, highlighted by him going for 38 points against then-No. 24 Creighton and 22 points in the NCAA Tournament against eventual champion Florida. Will Riley: Illinois' 6-8 freshman from Canada is a first-round prospect with the potential to play as a guard or as a wing forward. He showed potential as a scorer and passer at Illinois, though he needs to develop physically with a 186-pound frame. Hugo Gonzalez: The 6-6, 205-pound Gonzalez is a late first-round prospect who played this season with Real Madrid in his home Spain. The 19-year-old offers potential with perimeter size, shooting range and ability to attack off the dribble and perimeter size.
