How does Paige compare to UCONN's best

[browns]

Teams win titles.

There have been shooters as good as Bueckers, ball handlers as good, passers as good and clutch players too but no one as good in all those areas. DT let her emotions lead her to some bad decisions in college and later as a pro. Bueckers didn't choke like DT in her first FF. Instead, she carried the team. Stewart wasn't much of a 3 pt shooter until her senior year.

I fell in love with Bueckers when she was in high school. I've never seen anyone with her level of intensity and sheer joy of playing coupled with a unique skill level at all phases of the game. Fans can point to career numbers but if I was choosing a team Bueckers would be the first player I picked.

On the other hand the next year DT won the championship while Paige and Uconn got destroyed by SC

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kaleena and Katie Lou have my vote here.

Kaleena had the "Lewis Launch." Who else had a shot with a name?

K was 1 FT in her sophomore and senior seasons from shooting 50/40/90 twice!

 

[Bone Dog]

Because I’m often left with a lot of free time in the summer — the life of a college prof in the sunset years — I’ve watched a lot of replays and thought about this team compared to the great UConn teams of the past. Here’s what I see:

They were all explosive and dominated more than the Paige-led teams have done. The Stewie teams may have been the best for ball movement, especially the last two seasons. And the Gabby-led teams were like this too. They were like lightning in transition. The Lobo-Rizotti teams were also quick, but grit may have been their hallmark. Same for the Sue-Swin teams. They just didn’t take no for an answer. I think the team motto “Just tape it up and go” really reflected this.

Diana’s teams were great mainly because of Diana. Same for Maya. In this respect they felt like Paige’s first two teams. They had really good athletes, sent players on to the W. But Diana or Maya or Paige stood head and shoulders above the team.

Paige’s freshman year team had athletes as goood as any other team, maybe better. But take Paige out of the equation and they floundered. Aari McDonald was able to do exactly this in the final four and they had no other answers.

The sophomore year team looked to be even more loaded with athletes until the injury bug hit. Even so, a hobbled Paige was able to return in March and lead them to the NC game. That was a heroic effort and not just against NC St. In hindsight, she probably should have taken longer for rehab and not returned until the following fall. Just in terms of character alone, that NC run Paige engineered was as great as anything any Husky has ever done.

The next season, the team was great even without Paige, super dynamic, with the ferocity that “the next woman up” — Nika — brought to them. Aaliyah Dorka and Lou had career seasons. But without Paige or Azzi or Caroline healthy in the end they were fatally flawed by a too thin backcourt. It’s a shame, because that roster, even without Paige, if the rest had been healthy would have torched the rest of the tournament field, including LSU SC Iowa Va Tech tOSU, had they been healthy. That’s the magnitude of of what they lost to injury.

And this season, the losses to injury are equally devastating. This time it’s the frontcourt that’s taken the brunt of it, though losing Azzi and Caroline again is mind numbing. We’ve gone from a clear #1 seed and #1 or 2 ranking to barely scraping into the top-10. We’re all hoping just to get a #2 seed now. But Paige is playing better than ever, and she may not have knocked all the rust off even now. And she’s teaching the next generation what greatness is right before our eyes. It’s hard to overstate how incredible this experience must be for Ash and KK in particular.

How far can Paige’s magic carry the team this season? Elite Eight looks very possible. Final four may be a long shot unless the seeding is favorable and a couple breaks go their way — and this isn’t a year when fate seems disposed to favor UConn. But however far they go, it will be primarily due to Paige and her magic.

None of us will be comfortable putting Paige on Mt Rushmore for anything less than an NC. But we really ought to honor her achievements, stunted as they have been so far by a cruel and malign destiny. She absolutely belongs in the same stratosphere as Diana and Maya and Sue.

 

[TCC Kid]

Before this season, I would have said Breanna was the best women's bb player I've seen. Watching a clearly not 100% recovered Paige this season, I'm saying Paige is top of the list. How many on that impressive list in the original post were POY their freshman year?

Paige has shown she can carry a team, carry a game by herself. She has NOT lived up to the hype or potential. No final 4's no NC's. --injuries and lack of a decent sized post hampered her NC/FF collection.
She IS NOT the player of her Freshman (good times) year. Mentally, she is great--Physically ?? That fragile thin body has taken too many impacts. I'd hate to be her at age 65---a fact hidden from the public--is every bump or burse returns to haunt us. Those knees shall ache, that head bump --hmm?--is the price paid at 65 worth the cheers at 20? Save some, stock some, NIL. Be prepared for age 30

 

[TCC Kid]

Kaleena had the "Lewis Launch." Who else had a shot with a name?

K was 1 FT in her sophomore and senior seasons from shooting 50/40/90 twice!

And to think--without her "invested" STEP DAD--she may not have been the KML we all loved.

 

[maple]

Paige has shown she can carry a team, carry a game by herself. She has NOT lived up to the hype or potential. No final 4's no NC's.

Paige has made it to 2 and even won one ...

 

[Alydar]

On the other hand the next year DT won the championship while Paige and Uconn got destroyed by SC

Teams win titles

 

[LAWDAWG]

Teams win titles

And individuals can carry teams.

 

[mauconnfan]

And individuals can carry teams.

They can help, you can call it carry if you wish, but with 5 on the floor it’s not one doing it all that’s for sure. You need championship players by your side.

 

[omshanti]

Paige has shown she can carry a team, carry a game by herself. She has NOT lived up to the hype or potential. No final 4's no NC's. --injuries and lack of a decent sized post hampered her NC/FF collection.
She IS NOT the player of her Freshman (good times) year. Mentally, she is great--Physically ?? That fragile thin body has taken too many impacts. I'd hate to be her at age 65---a fact hidden from the public--is every bump or burse returns to haunt us. Those knees shall ache, that head bump --hmm?--is the price paid at 65 worth the cheers at 20? Save some, stock some, NIL. Be prepared for age 30

UConn did make final fours her freshman and sophomore year (if I’m not mistaken). They haven’t won a championship with her… yet. Paige is playing out of her mind this year, above and beyond her freshman year. I think she’s a smart and savvy enough person to be prepared financially for the future. That has nothing to do with this year’s performance. Some people take care of the bumps and bruises, some not so much. Paige is in phenomenal shape.

 

[WiseWillie]

After the Notre Dame complete dismantling on our home court, it's time to update this thread Boneyarders.

At the hands of a freshman guard and a tight, excellently executed offense and defense, it is obvious that Paige as well-rounded and skillful a player she is, she can be almost completely taken out of a game against a team with a pressing defense. Everyone can have a bad game but this is something that needs to be taken into consideration.

 

[Steelerone]

Before this season, I would have said Breanna was the best women's bb player I've seen. Watching a clearly not 100% recovered Paige this season, I'm saying Paige is top of the list. How many on that impressive list in the original post were POY their freshman year?

How can you even compare a player who led her team to four National Championships to any other player, especially one who has never led her team to one.

 

[mauconnfan]

After the Notre Dame complete dismantling on our home court, it's time to update this thread Boneyarders.

At the hands of a freshman guard and a tight, excellently executed offense and defense, it is obvious that Paige as well-rounded and skillful a player she is, she can be almost completely taken out of a game against a team with a pressing defense. Everyone can have a bad game but this is something that needs to be taken into consideration.

Of course she can. The other team knows she’s the only one who can beat them if they play well. Throw everyone off the ball at her and let someone else beat you. Pretty simple when you don’t have other AAs on your team right? I mean is Nika gonna beat you? No one big enough to play inside out either I mean whole different world than those you’d like to compare her to. Add to it very little special offense run to get her open. No need to update anything, just surround her with better players and pieces like the others had. Pretty simple it didn’t change yesterday.

 

[David54]

Maya Moore the best but really tough to compare them. How can you argue with anyone who says Brianna was the best with 4 NC’s or DT with 3. Watching Paige I think she’s in that class but if you go by total games played she’s really never had a full season. Total # of games she’s like a sophomore.

 

[Twelve]

I respect your opinion and the way you view things. But it’s impossible to say she’s not one of the greats because when she laces them up she absolutely is. Her numbers when healthy speak for themselves. And there’s no big ladies in the middle like all the others had to create space for her, her best shooter to create space is always injured in Fudd. She’s on her island and is still great. Anyone you will compare from the past I promise you I will add players who helped makes their lives easier on the court.

It’s an opinion board, I get it and respect your thought process!

Paige is on an island?

ONO, Christyn, and Evina were drafted by WNBA teams. Paige played with them one season.

Edwards was an All American last season and good chance she is an AA this season. Nika shattered the UConn single season assists record. Nika might end up #1, 2, or 3 for UConn career assists. Paige is playing with them this season.

If Paige were healthy last season, she would have played with Dorka and LLS. Both were drafted in the WNBA first round. Edwards will be drafted in the WNBA first round in April. Would you have still claimed Paige was on her island?

Asking for a friend.

 

[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".