In professional basketball, being compared to someone like Caitlin Clark is no small feat. She’s the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, a household name with a distinct style, unmatched shooting range, and a flair that makes her stand out. To be likened to her? That’s a big deal, a place reserved for only the most exceptional players. But at the 2025 WNBA Draft, something unexpected happened.
The crowd was electric as the night began. Paige Bueckers, the standout guard from UConn, went first, as everyone expected. The Dallas Wings didn’t hesitate. But then came the moment that nobody saw coming.
With the No. 3 pick, the Washington Mystics were up next. Already stacked with back-to-back picks at No. 3 and No. 4—and a No. 6 pick still in hand—they had all the pieces to make a big move.
And then: Sonia Citron.
With the 3rd pick of the WNBA Draft, the @WashMystics select Sonia Citron!
2025 WNBA Draft presented by @StateFarm live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/lTURA6bbLF
— WNBA (@WNBA) April 15, 2025
The 6-foot-1 Notre Dame guard took the stage in New York, her long hair loose and flowing as she smiled for the cameras. And just like that, fans watching at home and in the arena did a collective ‘wait, what?’.
For a split second, people truly believed Caitlin Clark had just walked across the draft stage again.
It wasn’t just the hair. Or the look. Or the fact that both Citron and Clark are 6-foot guards. It was the whole vibe. Citron’s relaxed confidence. Her clean-cut, sharp look. The way she moved. If you weren’t locked in, you’d swear the Fever star had somehow cloned herself and pulled off the ultimate surprise appearance.
Turns out, it was just Sonia Citron. But this wasn’t some random lookalike. The comparisons, though wild, didn’t come out of nowhere.
Like Clark, Citron plays the guard position and thrives as a two-way player. In her senior season with Notre Dame, she averaged 14.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the floor. She was also a sniper at the line, knocking down free throws at an elite 89 percent clip—again, much like Clark.
Citron stepped up in big moments, too. In an 80–70 overtime win over Texas, she poured in 18 points, snagged 7 rebounds, and swiped 7 steals. She did a little bit of everything—and she did it with poise.
And here’s the twist that makes this whole moment even crazier: Sonia Citron was actually on the Indiana Fever’s radar.
Earlier in the year, Indiana held the No. 8 overall pick in addition to their reigning MVP candidate Caitlin Clark. At that point, the Fever had a decision to make—should they draft the best player available, or someone who filled an immediate roster need?
Two names kept surfacing in conversations: one was a lengthy wing who could stretch the floor.
The other? Sonia Citron.
Despite Indiana’s already crowded backcourt, Citron’s all-around game—elite shooting, smart defense, leadership—put her firmly in the mix. She looked like someone who could slide right in next to Clark and elevate the whole team. Even with similar skill sets, their games seemed complementary, not redundant.
But in the end, the Fever went in a different direction. They traded the No. 8 pick to Phoenix in a four-team deal that brought in veteran guard Sophie Cunningham. It was a win-now move that gave Indiana experience—but it also meant letting go of the chance to possibly pair Clark with Citron.
So yeah, when Citron strolled across the stage wearing Mystics red, the double take wasn’t just about looks. It was about what could’ve been.
When Notre Dame teammate Olivia Miles surprised everyone by hitting the transfer portal (and ultimately committing to TCU), Citron became the Irish’s top draft prospect. And she rose to the occasion, becoming Notre Dame’s highest-picked player this season.
She’s not new to big stages either. Before South Bend, she was a Gatorade New York Player of the Year—twice. A McDonald’s All-American. A FIBA U19 World Cup gold medalist. In college, she racked up honors like ACC Freshman of the Year, All-ACC First Team, and ACC Defensive Team. By the end of her four-year run, Citron was the only player in Notre Dame history with 1,700 points, 700 rebounds, and 300 assists.
Oh—and those 173 made 3-pointers? Eighth all-time in program history.
“She is, I would say, glue and consistency,” said head coach Niele Ivey. “She’s the type of player that I know exactly what I’m going to get every day. She’s an ultimate team player. ” Coach added, “She’s so gifted and talented in so many different positions. She does so many things well.”
And now, she’s the newest guard in the Mystics’ backcourt—and, unintentionally, the internet’s favorite Caitlin Clark doppelgänger.
Sure, the resemblance is a fun moment. But the basketball world knows better than to write Citron off as just “Clark 2.0.” She’s got her own game. Her own story. Her own ceiling. And the way she’s built, the Mystics may have landed a star in her own right.
Sonia Citron or Caitlin Clark? The Lookalike Moment That Sparked Memes
As Sonia Citron took the stage, one fan blurted what half the internet was already thinking: “Caitlin, is that you?” It wasn’t just the 6-foot frame or the tucked-back straight hair—it was the whole presence. The sharp jawline, cool confidence, and that clean, crisp energy that’s become Caitlin Clark’s visual signature. In a flash, Citron had people doing double takes. For a second, it really did feel like déjà vu.
Another fan came in with a short but loaded reaction: “Interesting.” And it was. Because not long ago, the Indiana Fever actually held the No. 8 pick. They could’ve pulled off the ultimate pairing—Clark and Citron in the same backcourt. Citron’s off-ball movement and defensive range would’ve meshed beautifully with Clark’s range and playmaking. But instead, Indiana flipped the pick to Phoenix and brought in veteran Sophie Cunningham. So that “What if?” hung in the air all night.
Then came the one that cut to the point: “Caitlin Clark???” For some, it was confusion. For others, confirmation. Citron’s poise, length, and versatility weren’t just surface-level. She was a real lottery pick with long-term value. Her growing name in the trading card world says it all—already featured in the 2024 Leaf Metal Women of Sport, paired with Hannah Hidalgo in a dual auto for Bowman U Now, and now shining in the 2024-25 Bowman University Chrome. She’s not just following Clark’s image—she’s carving her own brand alongside her.
And then the post that went viral: “We really got Temu Caitlin Clark .” It was lighthearted, but it touched a nerve. Especially with how closely Citron’s draft-night look mirrored Clark’s recent WNBA Orange Carpet debut—white suit, slick hair, calm smile. The parallel was almost eerie. For some, it was funny. For others, it started to feel like repetition.
Then came a different kind of comment: “Too many white girls.” Short, sharp, and not at all new. That line of critique has followed Caitlin Clark through her rise, and now Citron’s getting the same treatment. But Clark hasn’t ignored it. She’s talked openly about her privilege, about knowing she gets opportunities others might not. And more importantly, she’s made it clear she respects the foundation laid by Black women who built the WNBA—players who created the very space she and Citron now walk into.
So while Citron’s draft moment sparked laughs, memes, and double takes, it also reopened conversations we keep circling back to—about image, opportunity, and who gets to be the face of the game. That’s the part that lingers after the lights fade.
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