Get A Bucket Show

Paige vs. Caitlin: The Battle for WNBA Royalty

• Tré

Share episode

Send us a text

The Paige Bueckers vs. Caitlin Clark rivalry emerges as the top storyline for the WNBA's 2025 rookie class, examining whether Paige might actually be the better player despite entering the league later.

• High school history shows Paige was ranked #1 while Caitlin wasn't even in the top 3 in their class
• Paige won college Player of the Year as a freshman but injuries affected her draft position
• Different team situations may affect their rookie performances - Caitlin had the green light while Paige may need to defer to stars like Arike Ogunbowale
• Public perception differs between the two stars with Caitlin as the "WNBA's darling" while Paige connects differently with fans
• The rivalry will likely define women's basketball for the next 5-10 years, including 2028 Olympic competitions
• Later-season matchups between their teams will provide the best comparison after both have adjusted to professional play

Make sure to tune in for the WNBA season starting May 16th! Like, subscribe, comment, and tell anyone who's anyone about the show.


Support the show

https://linktr.ee/GetABucketShow for more content!!!

Speaker 1:

What's up everybody? It's your favorite show's favorite show. Get a Bucket. I'm your host, trey, and, as usual, I hope you're all having a wonderful, wonderful day Now.

Speaker 1:

Today we're going to talk about my top storyline for the WNBA's 2025 Rookie Class. But before we do that, please make sure to hit that like and subscribe button. Comment, tell anyone who's anyone about the show. Try to get the ratings up a little bit, you know, just a little bit. Like I said, today we're going to talk about the top storyline for the WNBA 2025 rookie class and, ladies and gentlemen, I think it's a good one. We're not going to hem and haw, we're going to get straight to it. Right, the top storyline Paige Beckers. Is she better than Kaitlyn Clark? Still Now I say still you guys might be wondering why Because Paige is just now entering the WNBA. Kaitlyn well, we've seen Kaitlyn. She has got a bucket. I'll give you that. Like she's been hooping, we're going to keep her right here. You know what I'm saying. Give her a little notoriety right there. But we also got to keep in mind too because, like again, face of the league, some people, casual fans, call it mvp consideration. We hear all that help get more viewership for the wmba page beckers versus caitlin clark. You all need to focus on this Now.

Speaker 1:

I say all this, ladies and gentlemen, because there's a little bit of history lesson that we got to talk about, right, and with regards to Caitlin Clark and Paige Beckers, we do have a little bit of high school situations, right, a little bit of high school situations, right, like they both were in the same high school class. So when you see Kaitlyn Clark's high school stats yes, the junior, senior year weren't really recorded, for whatever reason these are pretty good, right, paige Beckers, you see, they're pretty good, right? So Kaitlyn has 15 points for freshman year, 27 points for sophomore year. Cool, she's hooping. She's hooping. Paige, she never dropped below 20 points a game 19.9, we round up around here. So she never dropped below 20 points a game in high school. She was also rated the number one player in high school and again, I said they were in the same class. Kaitlyn Clark was rated lower than fourth, that's behind Angel Reese and Cameron Brink. Ok, so that's what we're talking about, ladies and gentlemen.

Speaker 1:

So, again, there is a little bit of a history between Kaitlyn and Paige. Let's even go to college where well, college we can talk about Paige not being healthy and again on this wing squad. I think she's going to do well, but health was the main reason why she won't the number one pick last year. If I'm being honest with you, like she should have gotten selected higher than Kaitlyn Clark, but because of the injuries you can't pick Paige Beckers over Kaitlyn Clark. I hear it. Let's not forget two Paige Beckers did win player of the year as a freshman. That's pretty decent.

Speaker 1:

So again, ladies and gentlemen, we do have a wonderful player in Paige Beckers that y'all need to pay attention to, because we have connections to a Caitlin Clark. Like we got to figure out if Caitlin Clark succeeds this next year. Right, that puts pressure on Paige. So let's pay attention to that, because if Caitlin's doing well, people are going to say, oh see, told you, paige can't do what Caitlin's doing. They're going to focus on the stats. Then they're going to say, see, see, told you, paige can't do what Caitlin's doing, they're going to focus on the stats. Then they're going to say, see, caitlin wins, paige didn't.

Speaker 1:

Context does matter, though. Now let's flip this, though. Let's say, if Caitlin Clark starts to fail, right, the eyes will now start to look towards Paige Beckers real quick, like I think right now, point in time, ladies and gentlemen, we can actually make the case that it's fair to say Kaitlyn Clark is like the WNBA's darling, right. That I think that's fair. I think that's fair. Um, paige, paige, she cool with everybody, like she might get invited to the cookout a little quicker than Caitlin do. That's all I'm saying. But I think Paige is viewed a little bit differently, not as the WNBA's darling. What happens if that starts to change? What happens if that notion starts to change a little bit?

Speaker 1:

Let's also talk about the development of Paige right versus Kaitlyn Clark. Kaitlyn Clark had to go up against someone like a Dejanay Carrington. Keep in mind, paige Beckers is actually teammates with someone like a Dejanay Carrington, so you get to practice against Dijonay's defense on a consistent basis. I'd like to assume she's going to be cool. Also, I think, in terms of dealing with pressure, paige does that. That's just my personal opinion, but we're going to find out too, though, Because, again, if she's turning the ball over the way Kaitlyn was, I can't really talk too badly about Caitlyn right. I got to say that. Same energy for Paige Beckers. But again, the development of Paige you do want to know, because I'm sure people will talk about what I just said. Oh well, caitlyn had Dejanay as an opponent. All right, cool. Well, suck it up, Because Caitlyn also had an Aaliyah Boston. Paige, don't Everybody's going to have pros and cons to their roster. So I'm looking forward to the excuses for the Caitlyn Clark stance let's also talk about to the initial supporting cast.

Speaker 1:

Like I just mentioned, paige may feel obligated to defer to her teammates a little bit more so. Like Kaitlyn had Kelsey Mitchell and Aaliyah Boston Aaliyah Boston, second year, kelsey Mitchell, good player, not revered as the star, they drafted Kaitlyn Caitlin Clark number one. You got to assume she got the green light to do whatever she want within reason. Paige might not have that same level of leash Because, again, you do have an Arike Agumbawale. You might want to defer to her a little bit more than a Kelsey Mitchell or an Aaliyah Boston, and that's just being brutally honest. Arike Agumbawale is still considered one of the stars in the WNBA, so why not defer to her? Sometimes that's logical Like, would you not? I would. Now I try to get a buck in myself too, but I also want to make sure that I'm deferring what I need to. Page might have to run through that Caitlin didn't have to as much. But again, people are going to care about that aspect. We're going to just talk about stats, end of day.

Speaker 1:

Then let's also talk about, too, the situation. Well, didn't Kaitlyn have a future running mate? Like, let's say, it doesn't work out with Kelsey Mitchell, she still has Aaliyah Boston to play with. They're back-to-back number one picks. They're bound to get to the NBA finals at minimum within their career. You keep that, paige. We're still trying to figure that out. So maybe, at least, based off my expectations, I'm assuming they have enough to get and just miss the playoff. Just miss the playoffs. So let's see who they can potentially get, but we got to pair her up with somebody.

Speaker 1:

So again, ladies and gentlemen, when I'm talking about the top storyline for the WNBA season, it's got to be what we've been talking about this entire time. Is Kaitlyn Clark worse than Paige Beckers? And yes, I said is Kaitlyn Clark worse than Paige Beckers? And yes, I said is Caitlin Clark worse than Paige Beckers? Said it just like that. And keep in mind too, there's a couple more connections than just these two history right, Hell, look at the jersey I got on. This is Natasha Howard's jersey. Shout out Tosh. Right, she's currently on Caitlin Clark's team, so we definitely got to pay attention because, again, her supporting cast is top notch.

Speaker 1:

But what happens if the Indiana I mean you know what happens if the Indiana Papers start losing to the Dallas Wings? What happens? They've been perceived as the better team coming into the season. A lot of pressure is on Kaitlyn Clark and, for me, I'm paying attention to the latter part of the game, to the later games between Paige and Kaitlyn. That's when I'm going to really start judging the two, because now Paige has gotten her feet wet with the WNBA. Kaitlyn should have a little bit more cohesion with her team, a little bit more time to play with her team. Plus, you get a full off season with your team. Let's see what these teams look like.

Speaker 1:

But again, ladies and gentlemen, this is the top storyline for the WNBA's rookie class for the 2025 season. And again, if you don't believe me, that's cool. I'm telling you all right now, there's no other storyline that beats this, because this also talks about the future of the WNBA. If you don't think these two girls are going to be talking about for the rest of the, for at least the next five, 10 years, you're crazy. We're going to be talking about them in the Olympic Games. So moments like this are going to be talked about, are going to be remembered, so we got to start paying attention to it now. So, yes, this is the top storyline for the WNBA's 2025 season.

Speaker 1:

I don't care what y'all say. Argue with your mom, but I am curious, though, if y'all have a difference. So definitely comment your thoughts below. But, ladies and gentlemen, that is all the time I have for the episode, so I definitely appreciate y'all for listening. Make sure y'all look at the WNBA season. It is coming on very, very soon. In fact, may 16th, I believe, is the date that we're talking about. So again, ladies and gentlemen, hope y'all pay attention to that date, tune in and then continue to tune into the show. Make sure you like subscribe, subscribe, comment, tell anyone who's anyone about the show. My name is Tray. I'm the host. Get a bucket. Hope you all are having a good one. Take care.