Move over Shakespeare, the Paige Bueckers vs. Caitlin Clark saga is writing its own drama, and the latest act comes courtesy of NCAAB analyst Jay Bilas. During the State Farm Champions Classic, where Kansas and Michigan State traded buckets and defensive blunders, Bilas found time to wade into the eternal debate sparked by two of women’s basketball’s biggest stars.
Let’s set the scene: UConn coach Geno Auriemma, known for hoarding national championships like a dragon with gold, threw his weight behind his star, Paige Bueckers, as the superior talent over Caitlin Clark. Predictable, right? Bilas, never one to shy away from stirring the pot, wasn’t buying it.
“I know one person who thinks Paige Bueckers is better than Caitlin Clark—Geno Auriemma,” Bilas quipped mid-broadcast, likely sipping on his coffee with a side of sarcasm. His tone suggested that maybe Geno’s love goggles were firmly in place.
Sure, Paige Bueckers is a basketball wizard, dribbling her way through defenders like she’s in a video game. But Bilas doubled down on his take, stating Clark still holds the crown. “Clark’s on another level,” he added, with the kind of authority that comes from years of calling games and watching countless hours of film.
But wait—there’s a twist! Just when you think the Bueckers-Clark rivalry is the only thing women’s basketball has to offer, Bilas dropped a name that’s quickly becoming as synonymous with hoops as Jordan and LeBron: JuJu Watkins.
“If you’re looking for the future of the game, it’s not just Bueckers or Clark. JuJu Watkins at USC—she’s the one. Get used to her name because she’ll be dominating highlights for years to come,” Bilas declared, effectively tossing Watkins into the mix like a plot twist in a telenovela.
For those living under a rock, Caitlin Clark just wrapped up her collegiate career with a season that looked like it was pulled from a video game cheat code. Averaging a ludicrous 31.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 8.9 assists, she not only bagged the National Player of the Year award for the second straight season but also went No. 1 in the WNBA draft. She’s now lighting up the league, dragging the Indiana Fever back into playoff relevance for the first time since Twitter was fun.
Meanwhile, Paige Bueckers is back in action and seems determined to remind everyone why she’s the NCAA’s golden girl. UConn’s first two games? She’s casually averaging 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3.5 steals per game. Bueckers is as smooth as butter on a warm biscuit, and if she stays healthy, UConn’s chances of ending their national title drought look pretty good.
But while Bueckers and Clark are already megastars, Bilas’ shoutout to Watkins serves as a reminder that the next wave of talent is here—and they’re coming for the throne. Watkins, only a sophomore, has been dazzling for USC, showing poise and skills far beyond her years. If she keeps it up, she could redefine the landscape of women’s basketball altogether.
So, is the Paige vs. Caitlin debate over? Hardly. But Bilas seems to think we’re asking the wrong question. The real debate might be: Who can keep up with JuJu Watkins?
