Game knows game

[Kaizen]

Sure, but availability is a huge part of Legend.

Paige is a legend to me jmho.
She won all the possible awards at her freshman year. No one has done this before.

Dictionary (legend meaning - Google Search)
Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more
leg·end, /ˈlejənd/
noun

1. a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated.
   "the legend of King Arthur"
2. an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field.
   "the man was a living legend"
3. an inscription, especially on a coin or medal.
4. very well known.
   "his speed and ferocity in attack were legend"

 

[Kaizen]

Something great is brewing in Storrs this season and it won't just be us fans bearing witness to it. Kerry and Sue and Diana and Maya and Stewie and Rebecca and Kara and Nykesha and Svet and Swin and MoJeff and Kaleena and Ashley and Tamika and Mama Stef and Morgan and Ann and Barbara and Kaili and Kalana and Renee and Tiffany and Tina and Jamelle and Jennifer and Gabby and Katie Lou and Phee and all the rest will be cheering her on. The Pantheon.

And Saniya Chong. She is my favorite UConn player .

 

[Alydar]

Sure, but availability is a huge part of Legend.

Bueckers has taken UConn to 3 final fours in 3 years and was the MVP in two legendary E8 games. Her missed time only would be an issue if her skills had diminished.

 

[Bone Dog]

Oh, to be one of Paige's teammates this season. She is going to teach them all how to win, how to maintain focus and do all the little things, how to get going when the going gets tough, how to shoulder the burden when it lands on you, how to take the high pressure shot. She'll set the example and provide the encouragement. It should be a season-long clinic. I'd quote Henry V's speech about his band of brothers if I could remember it, just to suggest what the rest of D1 WCBB will feel when it's all over. If they can't say they stood next to Paige at Agincourt, they'll count their scholarships cheap...

Remember the final shot of the Syracuse game last season. The play was designed to get Paige a shot at the top of the key. But three defenders ran at her, and though she could have gotten her shot off, she flipped it to KK who rattled home the killer 3 pointer. If that wasn't mentoring a teammate, I don't know what is!

 

[Alydar]

I'm not surprised to see Arnold getting better this summer. She and Shade got a ton of experience that paid off in the post season, especially on defense. They will also be pushed by Chen, Cheli and Ziebell. There's also that Fudd kid.
Bueckers will have multiple scoring targets and UConn's offense will create great looks for some great shooters. In fact, there are so many great scorers that skill on defense and versatility may decide who starts.

 

[uconnfan68]

Bascom I did not live through. Everybody else. Maybe missed a game or three. Different generations make comparison a slippery slope. But this I think I know. Paige is living in the most competitive, most highly talented era of women's college ball. What I see. Paige is the best all around talented player in the game. Full stop.

I started watching because of Kerry Bascom. Of course, they weren’t on tv until their FF game vs UVA, but I’d been following boxscores and articles for a few years, and actually watching really opened my eyes to how good she was, and how hard she played. I don’t think I missed more than a handful of tv games since. I took a half day vacation to stay home and watch the UT game in 1995. I was hooked by then.

 

[hoophuskee]

I can take the jabs. Five years ago, they would have hurt. Now, I just say: "More Statues Please." I want another of Aliya but in robes of a scholar - wearing her signature shoes. You forgot red banners.

Back to Paige: Again, it is her versatility that stands out to me. Okay, leadership too.

IMO you don't have to take jabs. Your posts on this thread for many of us UCONN fans have been spot on. To define is subjective as bonedog implied/alluded to. Those that say that she isn't, have made up thier own imagianry bar as to what a legend is, as I have, as many have.

Paige's three years of play she has been nothng but spectacular. Just because she isn't DT 02-03/ 03-04 doesn't mean she wasn't superior to DT's 00-01 and 01-02. And if we want to create imaginary bars then let's exclude Larry Bird from being a NBA Legend because that only goes to players like Jordan. LeBron, Russell and Magic becuase they all won 5 titles and not just a measly 3. But tha imaginary bar I cited is crazy.

Anyhow all the points you had cited -and there is more- Paige is definitely a legend for many of us UCONN fans.

 

[Skeets]

I'm not surprised to see Arnold getting better this summer. She and Shade got a ton of experience that paid off in the post season, especially on defense. They will also be pushed by Chen, Cheli and Ziebell. There's also that Fudd kid.
Bueckers will have multiple scoring targets and UConn's offense will create great looks for some great shooters. In fact, there are so many great scorers that skill on defense and versatility may decide who starts.

Geno may need help from the boneyard to figure out who starts. (sometimes I out do myself...)

 

[meyers7]

Is Ted Williams a legend? Jimmy Brown? Oscar Robertson? You become a legend for your game, not your rings. There is a very long list of UConn players who have a ring but very few of them are considered legends. Some legends are fortunate enough to play on title teams and while they were a part of the reason it was still a team accomplishment.

I wouldn't put them on the top tier, no. They did put up some great numbers. But Bueckers really hasn't done that yet either (career numbers). You can call them "legend" I guess, but not the top tier.

It's not that she isn't great, it's she hasn't done enough. And it's not her fault, I realize. Injuries suck. But that's part of being a legend. Being available.

 

[meyers7]

Paige is a legend to me jmho.
She won all the possible awards at her freshman year. No one has done this before.

Dictionary (legend meaning - Google Search)
Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more
leg·end, /ˈlejənd/
noun

1. a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated.
   "the legend of King Arthur"
2. an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field.
   "the man was a living legend"
3. an inscription, especially on a coin or medal.
4. very well known.
   "his speed and ferocity in attack were legend"

Well she didn't win all of them (really big one, most important one, she didn't get). But agreed she had a fantastic year. Year. Lot's of players have a fantastic year. But "legends" have fantastic careers.

UCONN has a higher standard than "great year". Everything is different at UCONN. UCONN has had 8 (eight) NPOYs. Next closest is TN with 4. UCONN is double the next closest. Then a half dozen or so with 2 NPOYs. The rest, just 1.

 

[meyers7]

Bueckers has taken UConn to 3 final fours in 3 years and was the MVP in two legendary E8 games. Her missed time only would be an issue if her skills had diminished.

That actually makes her career sound worse. You're saying she was available, but couldn't get it done.

2 MVP of "E8"?? Really? vs say 2/4 MVPs of FF's?

Come on, you're not helping her. Proof is in the pudding, and as yet, there hasn't been any pudding.

And as we all know, if you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding (laddie).

 

[meyers7]

Posters on here be throwing "legend" around like Oprah. You're a legend, and you're a legend, and you're a legend.

Remember when Meghan Gardler re-adjusted her pony tail and sank that 3? LEGEND!

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

If you ask Geno, Kerry Bascom is a legend. He often cites her. Why not — she put UConn on the trajectory through which Rebecca Lobo, another legend in his eyes, put UConn and WBB in general on the map.

Yet, Kerry does not have a national championship. Nor was she a NPOY. She was everything the UConn program stood for and the headliner of a UConn era.

There are, fortunately, many defined eras in UConn basketball and each one of those had a transcendent player, and each one of those transcendent players can be called a legend.

If you ask Geno, he might say that the current era is Paige’s. And he is already on record as saying that Paige is the best player in college WBB.

 

[darkstar1]

I realize the championship standard of UConn, but . . .

NPOY as a freshman. Still a shot at another

Injured, but took her unhealthy team to the championship game. Runner-up doesn't do it for UConn fans, but Caitlian Clark is being hailed by millions as a GOAT, and runner-up is as far as she took her team. so, . . . Page is one of the best I've ever seen and is THE most versatile at every phase of the game that I have ever seen. ( don't mean to offend, but I hope she takes UConn to another runner-up finish this year)

I would out Paige on my all-versatile team, along with Napheesa, Maya, Stewie and DT. Gabby also so versatile, but not at the level of these 5, IMO.

 

[Bone Dog]

In my view, the closest comparison for Paige is Diana and Maya. They’re all physically similar, though Maya is a bit bigger than Paige and stronger. They all had a special swagger to them. And they could carry their teams but also could let others shine. Teammates always knew they were there and could take over whenever it was necessary. Of the three, Maya impressed with speed and power, Diana and Paige with creativity.

 

[baggerbob]

A NC isn’t required for the Huskies of Honor. Kerry Bascom never won one and Bueckers will be on it regardless.

Getting a National Championship would be nice but legendary status comes from what you do in the WNBA. Diana, Maya, and Stewie along with Sue have been great on the big stage, and that's where I believe Paige will shine. Those 4 are your MT Rushmore, and You will need a 5th for Paige. Collier might end up being number 5 with Paige at 6.

 

[Alydar]

I wouldn't put them on the top tier, no. They did put up some great numbers. But Bueckers really hasn't done that yet either (career numbers). You can call them "legend" I guess, but not the top tier.

It's not that she isn't great, it's she hasn't done enough. And it's not her fault, I realize. Injuries suck. But that's part of being a legend. Being available.

"Legend" is an emotional as well as a subjective thing. Jefferson has 4 rings and yet she is usually ranked much lower than Bird (2). True legends come with stories. Bueckers' highlight video of clutch shooting would be longer than most others'. Hell, she won NPOY as a freshman. And if she plays this season she will have been more available than Sue Bird.
She hasn't been surrounded by healthy AA's either. I doubt Clark would have averaged what she did at Iowa if she had played at UConn but her efficiency would have been better.

 

[Bone Dog]

I doubt Clark would have averaged what she did at Iowa if she had played at UConn but her efficiency would have been better.

What's more, Clark played with a very stable lineup at Iowa for the whole time. Only Czinano and Warnock left after her junior year. Picture Paige with that much stability.

 

[hoophuskee]

"Legend" is an emotional as well as a subjective thing. Jefferson has 4 rings and yet she is usually ranked much lower than Bird (2). True legends come with stories. Bueckers' highlight video of clutch shooting would be longer than most others'. Hell, she won NPOY as a freshman. And if she plays this season she will have been more available than Sue Bird.
She hasn't been surrounded by healthy AA's either. I doubt Clark would have averaged what she did at Iowa if she had played at UConn but her efficiency would have been better.

+1. Paige is the definition of "Legend" as others mentioned on this thread are too.

1 --------- -- In your frosh year you get NPOY and back it up leading your team to Final Four without other A/A help and you have a game like you had v South Carolina;; that is legend.

2--------------- In your soph year you return earlier than expected from injury while putting on a show of further legendary performance (similar to South Carolina) but this time in NCAA's E8 game. Then leads her team to defeat the Defending Champs. All the while she is leading her team in which she has no A/A help. This is the definition of legendary.

3--- ------------Leading her team as a junior to the Final Four with 4 freshman as the core of 7 was nothing but utterly spectacular. This past season getting to Final Four was legend.

 

[Skeets]

Getting a National Championship would be nice but legendary status comes from what you do in the WNBA. Diana, Maya, and Stewie along with Sue have been great on the big stage, and that's where I believe Paige will shine. Those 4 are your MT Rushmore, and You will need a 5th for Paige. Collier might end up being number 5 with Paige at 6.

I disagree. It needs to be a UConn MT Rushmore, not a "UConn in the WBA MT Rushmore". For their college careers Paige can be #4 if she has 1 more Paige-like year. (An NC would be nice too.)

 

[meyers7]

"Legend" is an emotional as well as a subjective thing. Jefferson has 4 rings and yet she is usually ranked much lower than Bird (2). True legends come with stories. Bueckers' highlight video of clutch shooting would be longer than most others'. Hell, she won NPOY as a freshman. And if she plays this season she will have been more available than Sue Bird.
She hasn't been surrounded by healthy AA's either. I doubt Clark would have averaged what she did at Iowa if she had played at UConn but her efficiency would have been better.

Actually, we did a ranking poll a few years ago and Jefferson and Bird ended in a tie.

And again, like I replied in another post in this thread, arguing that she was available, doesn't help her status as a "legend". Just means she didn't get it done when she had the opportunity.

IMO, let's talk about Buecker's "legend" status after 1) she completes her college career and 2) wins a NC. Without both, it seems premature.

 

[CL82]

So, back to the title of "gamers know game", check out Sue's new jersey.


Also, I like the spouses pictures with Paige. It reminds me that the UConn extended family is more than just the players.

(One final thought, do Sue and Dee ever age?)

 

[Bone Dog]

So, back to the title of "gamers know game", check out Sue's new jersey.


Also, I like the spouses pictures with Paige. It reminds me that the UConn extended family is more than just the players.

(One final thought, do Sue and Dee ever age?)

Did Paige autograph Sue's jersey?

And doesn't this effectively answer all the cavils about whether it's too soon to recognize Paige's legendary status? The criterion ought to be this: When a legend wears your jersey to an All Star game, you've pretty much been accepted into the Pantheon of Legends by a member.

 

[meyers7]

Did Paige autograph Sue's jersey?

And doesn't this effectively answer all the cavils about whether it's too soon to recognize Paige's legendary status? The criterion ought to be this: When a legend wears your jersey to an All Star game, you've pretty much been accepted into the Pantheon of Legends by a member.

We're gonna base legendary status on what people wear now? How about the amount of "X" followers? Or Instagram or TicToc maybe?

 

[Bone Dog]

We're gonna base legendary status on what people wear now? How about the amount of "X" followers? Or Instagram or TicToc maybe?

Not “what people wear” but “who” wears it.