Who’s the better 3pt shot: Paige or Azzi? Subscription Article.

[eebmg]

Who’s the better shot: Paige or Azzi? | Republican-American (rep-am.com)


No resolution to the question unless you ask Paige

“You can’t argue with her because it is like arguing with a wall,” Fudd laughed. “You get nowhere. It is just a waste of energy with her. I beat her, but she still thinks she won.”

UConn coach Geno Auriemma said Bueckers asks him all the time who the better shooter is.
“I would match Paige up against any shooter in America or any shooter that I have ever had,” Auriemma said.

Christyn sounds like it is a tie and a tad envious.

Williams did admit that she watches Fudd shoot the ball in hopes that she will pick up something that will make her own shot better.

“Her shot is one of the most consistent shots I have ever seen, other than Paige,” Williams said. “Azzi’s footwork on her shot, actually everything about her shot, is the same every single time. She doesn’t deviate. That’s why she is so consistent. That is something I want to do so I just watch what she does.”

 

[MooseJaw]

It won't be long before we witness them in action, I can't wait to take a stance. The BY has taught me that no matter how they shoot that there will be members behind both Paige and Azzi. Let the ball fly, I want to hear the zing of the net cords singing as both launch beautiful shot after shot.

 

[JordyG]

There are a couple (I think) of videos of Paige and Azzi shooting competitive 3's in the gym. There is at least one that I remember. Azzi won that one. Of course, the gym ain't the game, though I think at the end of the year Azzi's 3 point percentage will be higher than Paige's. I also think that this year we'll see the same issue from Azzi as with Paige initially last year. Azzi will pass up open shots and defer to her older teammates. Geno will throw up his hands during many games telling her to shoot the ball. Ultimately Azzi will get the hint that you hurt your team more by passing up the open shot when passing to your teammates and hoping for a better one. If however we are going on form alone, Azzi wins hands down. As @MilfordHusky has said and ultimately brought to my attention, her form is the best he (and I) have seen since Kaleena.

 

[JellyBean]

We could have our very own Splash Sisters! Paige, Azzi, and plug in who you think. Me? I like Christyn. But this offense is going to be Special!! I can not wait for the first game!!

 

[CL82]

I’ve said this a few times, but I think Paige and Azzi are going to be like Sue and Diana. One is a great passer who also happens to be an outstanding shooter in the other is a great shooter who also is a tremendous passer. I either one can give you points or assists when needed.

 

[DEpup]

Azzi is the better shooter, no question..Paige is the better orchestrator, no question..perfect pair.

 

[eebmg]

Azzi is the better shooter, no question..Paige is the better orchestrator, no question..perfect pair.

I think it is asking alot to say Azzi is the better shooter at this moment. I will not be convinced until I see it in competitive games.

 

[D J B]

I think it is asking alot to say Azzi is the better shooter at this moment. I will not be convinced until I see it in competitive games.

I agree with you here. The premise of the article started out being about shooting with no mention of 3 pointers. Geno's and Christyn's comments were, I thought, more about shooting in general. About half way through the article, it switched to talking about 3s. Shooting 25 3s and winning the contest 21/20 doesn't really tell me anything substantive when no one is in your face trying to stop you.

Shooting threes is what a lot of folks focus on anymore, but that's not the total of what makes a great shooter in my book. Paige last year made 64 3 pointers, most on the team and the highest percentage 46.4%. That's impressive. But she also made 55.2 % of her 2 point shots. The drives to the basket and especially the mid-range jumper (and how she works to get open and create those) to add to the totality of it all are what set Paige apart for me. And then the 86.9% free throws. If Paige can keep up those numbers (the percentages primarily) and if Azzi can match, improve on or come close to them, then we are in pretty good shape.

 

[Cuango]

Azzi is the better shooter, no question..Paige is the better orchestrator, no question..perfect pair.

Until we see what she does in game situations this season, no one really knows who is the better shooter. Paige shot 46+% on threes in a season where she absolutely had to play at a high level in all aspects of the game. She did this while dealing with huge expectations, nonstop media exposure, defenses set up to stop her, and all the pressure that comes with being a freshman starter/leader at the most storied program in women’s basketball history! Azzi may turn out to be better than Paige (I personally doubt this) but it is certainly not disrespectful or unreasonable to say we should wait until she actually shows it on court before we anoint her as the greatest of all time! I hope she is all that and more, and what is more important, I’m betting Paige hopes the same! The point here is that it is conceivable that we could have a three or four year stretch where we have the best two guards in all of women’s basketball on our team! Think about that! Add in the fact that the rest of the roster is not exactly chopped liver and you have the recipe/potential for something special even here at UConn, where fans don’t even look up unless we are undefeated or national champions.

 

[Zanzman]

What about Caroline

 

[CL82]

Who does Geno think is better?

“It depends upon who I want to (tick) off that day,” Auriemma said. “I’m an equal opportunity nudge.”

 

[Majic Hands]

I'll get back to you with the answer sometimes after April 3rd 2022.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Who’s the better shot: Paige or Azzi? | Republican-American (rep-am.com)

Caroline's chip is sooooooooooo big! I'll bet Caroline finishes with a higher 3PT percentage than both Azzi and Paige.

 

[Hoops66]

Maybe they could get everyone off their backs by both saying..."Caroline." I know that's not the question but Caroline might just be best. That doesn't mean they aren't better total players, but she has won shooting contests. Just saying.

 

[bballnut90]

Slightly OT...but was Paige ever hyped as being a stellar shooter pre-UCONN? Fudd has been hailed as the next great 3 point shooter, similar to the way KLS/KML came in with big reputations as 3pt threats, but were there any reports or expectations that Paige would be one of the best shooters in the country from day 1?

 

[eebmg]

Slightly OT...but was Paige ever hyped as being a stellar shooter pre-UCONN? Fudd has been hailed as the next great 3 point shooter, similar to the way KLS/KML came in with big reputations as 3pt threats, but were there any reports or expectations that Paige would be one of the best shooters in the country from day 1?

I think her swaggy passing court vision, BB IQ and driving skills overshadowed her shooting but if I recall, she came in as JV and sunk something like 8-9 from 3pt and in all the Hopkins games I saw, she was at least 40+ percent. I wish 3pt shooting + other stats were available for HS kids but I do seem to recall that Kara (SNY) did not seem to appreciate early in the season that she was a top flight shooter from 3.

 

[Skeets]

There's more to the game than shooting a 3. Paige has the total package. I hope Azzi proves to have the total package too. We need to see that. How many days until the 14th?

 

[Zanzman]

I think her swaggy passing court vision, BB IQ and driving skills overshadowed her shooting but if I recall, she came in as JV and sunk something like 8-9 from 3pt and in all the Hopkins games I saw, she was at least 40+ percent. I wish 3pt shooting + other stats were available for HS kids but I do seem to recall that Kara (SNY) did not seem to appreciate early in the season that she was a top flight shooter from 3.

How do you mean Kara didn’t appreciate her being a top flight 3 or shooter?

 

[Dogstar]

I don't even have an opinion on this, just sitting back and thinking how extraordinary it is to have them both.

 

[eebmg]

How do you mean Kara didn’t appreciate her being a top flight 3 or shooter?

Just my sense early in the season that when Paige was being praised for everything by the SNY group, I never heard them mention she was a great 3pt shooter ahead of time (ex. the recap prior to the UMass Lowell game). It seemed to me like they learned she was a great 3pt shooter only after seeing it with their eyes. Probably should not single out Kara.

 

[D J B]

Just my sense early in the season that when Paige was being praised for everything by the SNY group, I never heard them mention she was a great 3pt shooter ahead of time (ex. the recap prior to the UMass Lowell game). It seemed to me like they learned she was a great 3pt shooter only after seeing it with their eyes. Probably should not single out Kara.

I think the entire SNY group, studio and courtside, had no real idea what Paige was capable of. Yes, they knew about Gatorade player of the year, that she was the #1 pick, and that Geno had said some very flattering things about her. But as you say, I don't think they actually got it until they saw it. But, once they saw it....

 

[eebmg]

I think the entire SNY group, studio and courtside, had no real idea what Paige was capable of. Yes, they knew about Gatorade player of the year, that she was the #1 pick, and that Geno had said some very flattering things about her. But as you say, I don't think they actually got it until they saw it. But, once they saw it....

But I am trying to isolate the 3pt skill. Caroline, Azzi, Sailor all have shooter reputations from HS but I do not recall Paige having that reputation and my hypothesis is that it was thought of as the low rung on the ladder of her talents. Maybe the SNY staff looked only at the highlights where 3pt shooting was minimized in comparison to her Magic Johnson passes.

I would love to compare her 3pt shooting averages to our other snipers in HS.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Paige didn't shoot the 3 all that much in HS, preferring to pass it to other 3 shooters while she drove to the hoop or used her mid-range game. But she was a good 3 point shooter since early in her 8th grade season when she dropped 8 3s in 19 minutes.

 

[Dogstar]

I've a question, whts the criteria tht makes one better thn another? In your own opinion
Number of FGM or percentage of FGM.

 

[Amashutcha]

In the FIBA U19 Finals matchup when Paige and co went up against Australia, I recall the announcers also had no idea that Paige was a legit 3 pt shooter and it's probably because she didn't really shoot a lot of threes that tournament too. I think a lot of people also discounted the possibility of her getting even better at shooting the three so they were caught in surprise when Paige was knocking down threes consistently in college. As Geno said, she works really hard and I bet she hasn't stopped working on her shooting.