How does Paige compare to UCONN's best

[Twelve]

Fans are fanatics.

Not surprised at the threads and posts this season comparing Paige to Caitlin, Maya, Stewie, Taurasi. Husky Nan has closed a few Caitlin Clark threads.


NCAA Championships.

NC are why UConn is the #1 program in WCBB history. UConn's story cannot be told without 11 NC.

9 NC were won with Taurasi, Maya, and Stewie. NC should count in any discussion about the UConn greats.

If UConn had won the NC in Paige's freshman season, that would absolutely be the first point some BYers would have brought up in discussions about the UConn greats.

 

[Twelve]

Recency Bias.

BY reminds me of ESPN basketball "gurus" when they compile their annual top 100 NBA greats.

Some BYers might have forgotten what Maya Moore accomplished at UConn. In the 2023-4 UConn Media Guide, Maya is all over the following 4 pages.

2023 24 Women's Basketball Media Guide (PDF) - University of Connecticut Athletics

• Individual Single-Season Records (page 109).
• Individual Career Records (page 111).
• Records By Class (page 112).
• Year-by-Year Leaders (page 113).

 

[Twelve]

Quality of Teammates.

This thread included these 2 statements about Paige.

“considering the players she’s played versus whom other greats have had along their rides.”
“She’s on her island”.

Did praises about ONO, Christyn, Evina, Aubrey, Edwards, and Nika suddenly get thrown out the window? Yes, there were/are praises. There will be future praises as this season progresses.


Maya had Tina for 3 years and Renee for 2 years. Paige did not.

Freshman Paige had ONO, Christyn, and Evina, who were all WNBA draft picks. Paige was not on an island.


Senior Paige has senior All American Edwards and senior Nika Muhl, who shattered the UConn single season assists record as a junior. Nika might end up in #1, 2, or 3 in UConn career assists. Paige is still not on an island.

Senior Maya had raw freshmen Hartley & Dolson, sophomore Faris who was not a scorer, junior Hayes and senior Dixon. None of senior Maya's teammates were All Americans - or set single season records.


Despite the injuries, senior Paige's 4 starting teammates are better than senior Maya's 4 starting teammates.

 

[Twelve]

What Ifs that cannot be ignored.

If Paige were healthy last season, she would have played with Dorka, LLS, Edwards, and Nika. Dorka and LLS were WNBA first round draft picks. Dorka was WNBA All Rookie. Edwards will be WNBA first round draft pick in April.

Would any BYer have taken away from Paige’s accomplishments and status amongst UConn greats - if she played with that talent last year? That is essentially happening to Maya and Stewie in this thread.


Maya is #1 in UConn career scoring and #2 in UConn career rebounds. If Tina was never her teammate, Maya's statitics totals would have been higher.

I base that on the same argument used by non Iowa fans in social media and fan forums: "Caitlin's statistics are high because she has to".