The problem with Paige

[Alydar]

Hi Alydar. I thought you might not have been serious, but you are.

Yes, I generally trust listed height, although there are examples of players lying in the past. If you look at photos of Paige and Azzi standing next to each other, they are roughly the same height. They are both listed as 5’11”. Are they and the team lying? Paige, in fact, might be 5’10.5” or 5’11.5” or even 6’, I guess, but an inch is not much, and there is no way to see an inch of difference while watching Paige playing on TV.

So let’s say you are talking about 5’6”. Most of the Arkansas players guarding Paige are listed between 6’ and 6’5”. You are proposing that Paige is taller than her listed height and that Arkansas players are at least four to nine inches shorter than their listed height. If you look at Paige standing next to Arkansas players (there are photos on Google), you’ll see that what you are saying is not true.

I trust you are making your argument in good faith, and as a longtime reader of the BY, I appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts. But I wonder why you are saying something so obviously untrue. Here you are trying to diminish Paige’s performance, adding an additional point in your last post that “one Ark player who had size tried to guard her but was too slow.” But in an earlier post you defend Azzi’s lackluster performance in the same game.

So let’s say you are talking about 5’6”. Most of the Arkansas players guarding Paige are listed between 6’ and 6’5”.

I've watched the replay twice. There was an attempt to cover Bueckers with lots of players and some were over 6' but I see many many plays when she is covered by a munchkin. Now I haven't counted them but my impression the entire game was that Bueckers had a sizable size advantage that she exploited. The only 6'5" player for Ark is Wolfenbarger and I'm pretty sure she was never assigned to guard Bueckers.
If you want to know who is taller on UConn you need to see them line up for the anthem. TRhey always line up according to height. Nurse was always listed as 6' and Gabby Williams 5'11" on the roster but in line Williams was always on the taller side of Nurse.

And finally, if Bueckers was guarded by players 6'2"-6'5" then they must have 2" verticals because when Bueckers went up she had her head and shoulders clear. Often.

 

[ballerfan]

I've watched the replay twice. There was an attempt to cover Bueckers with lots of players and some were over 6' but I see many many plays when she is covered by a munchkin. Now I haven't counted them but my impression the entire game was that Bueckers had a sizable size advantage that she exploited. The only 6'5" player for Ark is Wolfenbarger and I'm pretty sure she was never assigned to guard Bueckers.
If you want to know who is taller on UConn you need to see them line up for the anthem. TRhey always line up according to height. Nurse was always listed as 6' and Gabby Williams 5'11" on the roster but in line Williams was always on the taller side of Nurse.

And finally, if Bueckers was guarded by players 6'2"-6'5" then they must have 2" verticals because when Bueckers went up she had her head and shoulders clear. Often.

Hi again. Thanks for your additional thoughts. We are both posting on a UConn board, so we probably agree on many other things. Wishing you a happy rest of the day.

 

[MSGRET]

I've watched the replay twice. There was an attempt to cover Bueckers with lots of players and some were over 6' but I see many many plays when she is covered by a munchkin. Now I haven't counted them but my impression the entire game was that Bueckers had a sizable size advantage that she exploited. The only 6'5" player for Ark is Wolfenbarger and I'm pretty sure she was never assigned to guard Bueckers.
If you want to know who is taller on UConn you need to see them line up for the anthem. TRhey always line up according to height. Nurse was always listed as 6' and Gabby Williams 5'11" on the roster but in line Williams was always on the taller side of Nurse.

And finally, if Bueckers was guarded by players 6'2"-6'5" then they must have 2" verticals because when Bueckers went up she had her head and shoulders clear. Often.

You do know that there is a video of Paige dunking in one of Curry's basketball camps? She barely got her fingers over the rim, but does push the ball in for a dunk.

 

[ballerfan]

You do know that there is a video of Paige dunking in one of Curry's basketball camps? She barely got her fingers over the rim, but does push the ball in for a dunk.

 

[MSGRET]

I've watched the replay twice. There was an attempt to cover Bueckers with lots of players and some were over 6' but I see many many plays when she is covered by a munchkin. Now I haven't counted them but my impression the entire game was that Bueckers had a sizable size advantage that she exploited. The only 6'5" player for Ark is Wolfenbarger and I'm pretty sure she was never assigned to guard Bueckers.
If you want to know who is taller on UConn you need to see them line up for the anthem. TRhey always line up according to height. Nurse was always listed as 6' and Gabby Williams 5'11" on the roster but in line Williams was always on the taller side of Nurse.

And finally, if Bueckers was guarded by players 6'2"-6'5" then they must have 2" verticals because when Bueckers went up she had her head and shoulders clear. Often.

Here is another one of Paige dunking, it's around the 7 minute mark.

 

[Alydar]

You do know that there is a video of Paige dunking in one of Curry's basketball camps? She barely got her fingers over the rim, but does push the ball in for a dunk.

yeah, I've seen that one and another in a "challenge" video. But I don't call those dunks.

I'm not questioning her athleticism. I think her elevation is a huge asset for her in that she can get her shot off almost anytime she wants.

 

[Zinethar]

Wrist above the rim. That is a dunk - not a lot of speed run up either. The girl has hops.

 

[cohenzone]

C tge shooters inbestI dont think we as fans are too harshly judging Paige's teammates relative to her unnatural abilities. It seems most of us were able to see that CW and Evina had very good games in general and others had decent games. No one is seriously expecting a second Paige to emerge (at lest for a while)

I do think that playing with Paige can lead to others waiting around / watching Paige to do her thing too much especially in a game where she is locked in. I recall E had an open 12 ft shot near the FT line but hesitated and pushed it back to Paige to probably reset at the top of the key. And what did Paige do, in the blink of an eye, she knifed to the basket with on of her 1 handed floaters.

Paige is often our security blanket and others have to fight the urge to just pass it back to Paige to reset

The funny thing is that GA pretty much wants the other players to be sure they are taking really good shots if it isn’t Paige shooting. He’s mentioned more than once players forgetting she’s the best player and one of the best scorers in the country. it's a pretty fine line especially with some other capable scorers on the floor . He certainly encourages CW to be aggressive.

 

[jchusky]

Here is another one of Paige dunking, it's around the 7 minute mark.

dunk on a tinker toys rim doesn't count, same with the Curry video. A "tip in" is now a dunk? loll we really reaching now.

 

[ballerfan]

yeah, I've seen that one and another in a "challenge" video. But I don't call those dunks.

I'm not questioning her athleticism. I think her elevation is a huge asset for her in that she can get her shot off almost anytime she wants.

The title is clickbait. It’s not a dunk. But still not bad. We’ll have to wait for Ayanna Patterson next year.

 

[CL82]

Wrist above the rim. That is a dunk - not a lot of speed run up either. The girl has hops.

Meh…She’s got hops but it’s not a functional dunk. She couldn’t use it in a game. Now Paterson on the other hand…

 

[Stymie]

Really so we're going to start load managing college basketball players now kids who are 18-20 years old who can run and play all day. I can see if they were coming off a severe injury and needed to come back slowly but let's not turn this into the NBA what are doing protecting Paige so she still collect her NIL money? while we're at it we better start load managing Azzi as well and how will this play out in March rest Paige for the Semis so she can play the Championship game if we win or vice versa play the semis but sit for the chip game...please Paige can play 40 min a game especially when the next game is a week away. Stop babying and pampering these athletes

Careful, careful.
Injuries starting to stack up on top team’s valued players. And they’re the same age as Paige and also in tip top shape.
Don’t understand why one would risk it when winning overwhelmingly with so many talented teammates needing to be developed and integrated into the mix.
“All Paige, all of the time” is an injury waiting to happen.
The difference between a rolled ankle (Paige last year-shook it off) and a high ankle sprain ( Nika last year-OUT) are very, very small.
Again, even Coach alluded to decreasing minutes for her.

 

[Zinethar]

Meh…She’s got hops but it’s not a functional dunk. She couldn’t use it in a game. Now Paterson on the other hand…

Didn't say it was a thunderous useful one . Just that it is damn good and shows she knows how to elevate.

 

[BobbyJ]

Didn't say it was a thunderous useful one . Just that it is damn good and shows she knows how to elevate.

Speaking of the dunk in the freeze frame picture, did you think that was a 10 foot rim? The door frame is probably a standard 6-6. That rim looks to be about 8 1/2 feet. Maybe.

 

[Alydar]

Speaking of the dunk in the freeze frame picture, did you think that was a 10 foot rim? The door frame is probably a standard 6-6. That rim looks to be about 8 1/2 feet. Maybe.

If it was 8.5' she would have stuffed her arm up to her elbow. Hell, even I can dunk at that height. I seriously doubt Bueckers would be a party to a fake dunk. It would be like Tiger Woods "staging" a trick shot.

 

[Zinethar]

It is the same height as the other baskets in that gym. To my knowledge (and after measuring some regular home doors the standard is 6'8". We had a 6'8" player that could walk under the gym doors with no issues which is actually not terribly relevant. If you choose to believe she can't do that on a regular rim even though we have seen at least 3 photos of her doing it or nearly so there is nothing else I can do for you.

 

[ballerfan]

dunk on a tinker toys rim doesn't count, same with the Curry video. A "tip in" is now a dunk? loll we really reaching now.

It's great to see Paige and Azzi together in this video from two years ago. They're competitive even in a cake-eating contest. Amazing things are going to happen with these two on the court together. Looking forward to the game today.

 

[TCC Kid]

So the teacher blames the kid: Because your scores are so good you make other students look so bad ...LOL

Ah-sooo, the cricket must jump as the Ardvark approaches, Confusis

 

[TCC Kid]

Sure they would, but in addition to the shootaround before a game they would also have a passaround.

My team did that pass around before every game. We didn't win any games, the last man standing was considered a success.

 

[smoothcriminal]

Azzi is a good shooter but she is not very athletic at all and is small. Glad to have her on the team she will contribute a lot but no idea how she was made out to be such a superstar, some saying best prospect in years. Classic social media overhype I guess.

 

[JoePgh]

Azzi is a good shooter but she is not very athletic at all and is small. Glad to have her on the team she will contribute a lot but no idea how she was made out to be such a superstar, some saying best prospect in years. Classic social media overhype I guess.

You base this on two games???

 

[smoothcriminal]

You base this on two games???

I am not saying she is a bad player. Some people were saying she is even better than Paige. People were talking best prospect in years. Sorry, after 5 minutes, not even 2 games, I can tel you definitively she is not even close

 

[tchodgd]

You base this on two games???

All it takes is two to see that she lacks foot speed. UCONN loves to run and players like Evina, Paige, Nika, and Christyn can. Part of it is Paige redefined with "Great" is, so Azzi will be a very good player, but not great.