Who Will Be The Face of Women's College Basketball For The 2023-24 Season?

[MilfordHusky]

For anyone who has forgotten, here's what P. Buckets can do against a top team when she's not even 100% healthy:

 

[MilfordHusky]

P. Buckets against South Carolina as a freshman:

 

[nwhoopfan]

As far as the Paige is better/will be better if healthy arguement...I was at the Regional Final in Seattle. Clark's performance was probably the best I've ever seen by any basketball player. It was PHENOMENAL. She doesn't take a back seat to anybody. And then she followed it up with a nearly identical performance in taking down unbeatable South Carolina.

 

[Jumper33]

I voted for Paige, but I had to consider it. Last season there was so much Clark coverage, and then in the tournament and post-season there’s been a lot of spotlight on Reese. The POY and the outspoken champion.

But Clark’s team, in all likelihood, will not be as good this year as they were last year. Reese may still be the face of LSU, but now she is sharing with Van Lith and Morrow. Especially Van Lith, she is a big topic of conversation.

Paige though, if she plays like we know she can, she will be back to being the “face”. Everyone loves a comeback story!

Really though, all these athletes and more will get their moments to shine. As they should because women’s basketball deserves visibility.

 

[JellyBean]

For that to happen Close will have to make serious changes to her offense or else Betts will spend most of her time watching Osborne and Rice grind the shot clock down dribbling around the perimeter. Or Jones chucking 3s off of every touch she gets.

Great points. I think Coach Close knows what she has in front of her now. Sometimes you have talent but not in the right way. Then there are times when you get the right talent to implement the style of play that you have always envisioned. Coach Close has that this year and for a few years to come. UCLA is going to be a problem. Rice is going to show out this season with Betts as her running mate.

 

[wingsfan055]

I completely agree!! No need for me to add anything. You said the same thing I would have. Sifaka, normally I agree with your comments, but I'm not going to hold visitingcock's feet to the fire because he/she misspelled her name. I'm more interested in the gist of the comment. Cardoso has to become the face her HER TEAM BEFORE she can become the face of WCBB. That hasn't happened yet. So....the jury is still out on THAT verdict.

A healthy and mature Paige Bueckers can set WCBB on its ear this season if she can get on, and stay on the floor. She was ALL THAT and a bag of chips her freshman year. She is so much more than that now. I expect Paige to be down right nasty in her approach to playing the game, getting hers while making those around her better. She'll be fun to watch this year. I expect Caitlan to be Caitlan. I'm interested to see if anyone is able to contain her, or even slow her down.

Cardosa was carried by Boston for a couple of years. She won't be the face of her team let alone NCAAW.

 

[visitingcock]

Cardosa was carried by Boston for a couple of years. She won't be the face of her team let alone NCAAW.

She was carried the first year. She pulled her own weight last year and she will
Again this year. Will she be the Face” of her team? Maybe not but she will be the rock upon which her team will be built. Will she be the face of wbb? No. Too camera shy

 

[Carnac]

She was carried the first year. She pulled her own weight last year and she will
Again this year. Will she be the Face” of her team? Maybe not but she will be the rock upon which her team will be built. Will she be the face of wbb? No. Too camera shy

I’ll be watching Cardoso closely this year. I expect her to be promoted to a starter.

 

[Carnac]

For anyone who has forgotten, here's what P. Buckets can do against a top team when she's not even 100% healthy:

I’m expecting nothing less than this type of performance from Ms. Buckets this year.

 

[ucbart]

It's going to be interesting because the three best players in the country(Caitlin, Paige, and Azzi) play on teams that have no affiliation with ESPN. The B1G's contract with Fox starts this year and ESPN, especially the on air coverage, will stick to it's own athletes, so I suspect that Reese, Brink, and whoever the best player in the ACC is, will get the most coverage. Print wise, Clark, Paige, and Azzi will certainly get a lot of coverage, but that's it.

 

[Rowdy831]

To me I would say Caitlin Clark. She's clearly the best player to come along in women's basketball since Diana and she has the personality to put the game on her shoulders and carry it. The only other player that is even close in my opinion would be Paige if she is healthy but like some have said I think her time might be during the season not leading up to the season. Brink and Cardosa are decent players but nothing in their games really excite the crowd and that is what the face of your game must bring.

 

[SCGamecock]

It’ll likely be some competitive media bantering between Clark and Reese to start the season, but I think Paige will get her share as well, as will the entire UConn team.

The UConn redemption story arc will be particularly strong this year, even though there’s nothing for Connecticut to actually redeem since they’ve been strong the past few years… an injury or two away from a title perhaps.

I’m not sure we have those media personalities on the team (South Carolina) this year. We have a team full of lowkey, hardworking, and talented young women this year.. which I don’t mind. Maybe somebody will have a big enough year to standout. Who knows..

The player I want to be the face over the next few years is JuJu Watkins. So I’m hoping USC comes on strong so that can position them for more nationally prominent games in subsequent years all the while elevating JuJu.

 

[Carnac]

When ESPN & other networks are promoting WCBB for the 2023-24 season, which player will be most prominently featured in these promotions (i.e., the face of the game)?

It has to be a player(s) that is recognizable to the masses, i.e., Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers or Angel Reese.

 

[MilfordHusky]

It’ll likely be some competitive media bantering between Clark and Reese to start the season, but I think Paige will get her share as well, as will the entire UConn team.

The UConn redemption story arc will be particularly strong this year, even though there’s nothing for Connecticut to actually redeem since they’ve been strong the past few years… an injury or two away from a title perhaps.

I’m not sure we have those media personalities on the team (South Carolina) this year. We have a team full of lowkey, hardworking, and talented young women this year.. which I don’t mind. Maybe somebody will have a big enough year to standout. Who knows..

The player I want to be the face over the next few years is JuJu Watkins. So I’m hoping USC comes on strong so that can position them for more nationally prominent games in subsequent years all the while elevating JuJu.

I'll be interested in whether Watkins or Williams becomes the better player. I have no idea who will be superior.

 

[Cuango]

As of right now, the clear answer has to be Clark! She is far and away the top player at this time. Paige has a chance to make this a two-headed snake if she plays up to her freshman season’s level. I really don’t see anyone else capable of even challenging Clark! As for Clark vs Paige, they play on such different teams and are asked to do such different things for their teams that it is difficult to compare them.

 

[wingsfan055]

Paige's "Comeback" would make a great story. You know ESPN/media is hoping for that as it will sell.

 

[Dillon77]

It's going to be interesting because the three best players in the country(Caitlin, Paige, and Azzi) play on teams that have no affiliation with ESPN. The B1G's contract with Fox starts this year and ESPN, especially the on air coverage, will stick to it's own athletes, so I suspect that Reese, Brink, and whoever the best player in the ACC is, will get the most coverage. Print wise, Clark, Paige, and Azzi will certainly get a lot of coverage, but that's it.

Your underlying premise is, for better or worse, pretty much the way I thought of this: Who will ESPN be broadcasting? So -- along with the fact that Angel Reese was the face of the National Champs -- think SEC star first. However, Caitlin Clark is the reigning National Player of the Year so her "cat(lin)" is out of the bag: she'll be covered. A lot. Things come in three, so I think Paige will be highlighted (UConn's strength as a program and her coming back from injury are both draws), as well.

This is the start of the season. After that, the play's the thing, although I think the teams that play well will push certain players forward, such as S. Carolina (Cardoso), Va. Tech (Elizabeth Kitley), Stanford (Cameron Brink), Indiana (McKenzie Holmes), UConn (Fudd, Edwards, besides Bueckers). An interesting ??? is Notre Dame. They've got players, for sure, but their best one -- Oliva Miles -- is in the midst of a recuperation. So, the Irish could be a "they" for the near term.

 

[Bone Dog]

An interesting ??? is Notre Dame. They've got players, for sure, but their best one -- Oliva Miles -- is in the midst of a recuperation. So, the Irish could be a "they" for the near term.

I like Citron’s game and her personality. If things break a certain way, she could definitely find the spotlight. She and Cass could develop some super chemistry and then the sky’s the limit. And when Olivia returns that will be one formidable backcourt.

 

[The deacon]

I think it'll be Angel.
She was featured in SI, won the Espy for Best Breakthrough Athlete & her popularity has skyrocketed.

You might have noticed, while Angel was accorded the 'breakthrough athlete,' Caitlin won the award for 'college sports (all sports) athlete of the year.'

 

[The deacon]

Last remarks about Paige:

1. Freshman year Paige was the NPOY even though Caitlin had better basic stats (Paige had way better complex stats), and TV personalities put some energy into trying to get some of Paige's stardust to rub off on her. "They're close friends" etc.
2. The next season, hobbled Paige carried her team to the NC and Caitlin did nothing noteworthy other than mamas some stats.
3. The following season, with no Paige again, Caitlin managed to carry her team to the NC -- this was an awesome achievement given her supporting cast -- and finally deserved the NPOY and all the recognition.

See the pattern here? With Paige back and a team that might run the table, no way Caitlin can hold the spotlight. Every media eye will be on Paige and what she might do next.

2. 'Caitlin did nothing noteworthy other than amass some stats'?

Hmmm, maybe, if you consider leading Iowa to the Big Ten regular season and tournament title that season as nothing.

By the way, hobbled Paige did not lead her team to the NC, only to the NC championship game... there's a ton of difference there, as both Paige and Caitlin would attest.

Yes, Bone Dog, Caitlin amasses stats, but along the way has led the Hawkeyes to dozens of exciting wins over very good teams during her career.

To me, her greatest accomplishment has been in sparking Iowa to team accomplishments, as she always makes a point of after each big win (and as Paige is all about, too).

 

[The deacon]

To me I would say Caitlin Clark. She's clearly the best player to come along in women's basketball since Diana and she has the personality to put the game on her shoulders and carry it. The only other player that is even close in my opinion would be Paige if she is healthy but like some have said I think her time might be during the season not leading up to the season. Brink and Cardosa are decent players but nothing in their games really excite the crowd and that is what the face of your game must bring.

Perhaps better said 'the best guard since Diana'... I'd have Maya and Stewie both in there in the 'best player' debate, and, as much as it won't be popular here, also Candace Parker.

 

[sun]

You might have noticed, while Angel was accorded the 'breakthrough athlete,' Caitlin won the award for 'college sports (all sports) athlete of the year.'

It's a business decision & Angel's 2.2 million Instagram followers is 3 times more than Caitlin's 730K.

 

[Bone Dog]

2. 'Caitlin did nothing noteworthy other than amass some stats'?

Hmmm, maybe, if you consider leading Iowa to the Big Ten regular season and tournament title that season as nothing.

By the way, hobbled Paige did not lead her team to the NC, only to the NC championship game... there's a ton of difference there, as both Paige and Caitlin would attest.

Yes, Bone Dog, Caitlin amasses stats, but along the way has led the Hawkeyes to dozens of exciting wins over very good teams during her career.

To me, her greatest accomplishment has been in sparking Iowa to team accomplishments, as she always makes a point of after each big win (and as Paige is all about, too).

@The deacon i don’t disagree that Caitlin is a great player — and you’ve defended her name stoutly these last three years. But the fact is her only truly great achievement was last season, and she rightly was recognized for it with the NPOY. I stand by my statement that prior to last season all she really accomplished was stats. The very fact that Paige won the NPOY in their freshman year despite Caitlin’s numbers is the confirmation of it. Gaudy stats are not enough. Yes, a conference title is something to be proud of, but I guarantee you that she was disappointed in the results of her first two seasons.

And now Caitlin has finally matched Paige’s achievements, and if we are all very lucky this coming season will be their moment to shine in competition with each other. Neither has actually won an NC (sorry I mistyped above) and it’s high time one of them actually did. Merely making it to an NC game is not enough for either of these great competitors.

But this is all old news and we’ve argued this out before. The question before us is which of them will be the media darling headlining this season. This is not simply a matter of who’s better, but also of who has more star power. In this matter, I don’t believe there’s any competition. Paige’s charisma and the excitement of a comeback story will just be too great for anyone else to overshadow.

 

[Skeets]

Paige's "Comeback" would make a great story. You know ESPN/media is hoping for that as it will sell.

I don't know about ESPN, they aren't exactly the greatest UConn cheerleaders. But if Paige has anything like her freshman year the rest of the media will go ape-poop The one thing the media does really well is construct and amplify a story that sells. A Paige comeback is a story that would be taylor made to explode. It really wouldn't matter what Clark does.

 

[UConnCat]

Paige visited Nike Headquarters this week. Hmmmm