“Paige and JuJu keep it 100 everytime”: Fans relish Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins’ hailing words for WNBA ROTY Caitlin Clark
Until last year, Caitlin Clark was the face of NCAA basketball. People who did not even like watching women's basketball started watching because of her. Therefore, players arguably reaping the fruits of her success now put Clark on a pedestal. Star guards Paige Bueckers (UConn) and JuJu Watkins (USC) are among them.
In a compilation released by FS1 on Sunday, Watkins and Bueckers both spoke highly of Caitlin Clark. They are both sitting at the helm of college basketball with due credit for what Caitlin did, and fans were delighted to see the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year get her flowers from the star guards.
College hoops fans took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and expressed their feelings about the comments from Bueckers and Watkins. They quoted the tweet, saying:
"Paige and JuJu keep it 100 everytime," one fan said.
"CAITJUUU also what up Paige," another fan quoted.
"JUJU CALLING CAITLIN A GREATER PERSON THAN PLAYER JENRNEBE," a fan tweeted.
"caige and caitju in the same video *smiling faces with heart eyes*," one fan added.
"Juju in this oh they really want me to cry," one fan quoted.
What did JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers say about Caitlin Clark?
JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers had nothing but good things to say about Caitlin Clark. Paige spoke about Caitlin in the middle of the video and said:
“Caitlin [Clark] brought so much new attention to the rise of women’s college basketball, and the WNBA and women’s sports in general,” Bueckers said.
Towards the end of the compilation, JuJu Watkins also expressed her feelings while looking forward to the next steps in Clark's career. She said:
“Great player, good person as well. She’s been great and I’m really excited for her in this next stage of her career.”
Bueckers further appreciated how Clark handled the pressure. The UConn guard concluded:
“I feel like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. She has this heavy burden to carry and she does it with such grace and humility.”
How Watkins and Bueckers compare to Caitlin Clark
On Friday, Juju Watkins beat Caitlin Clark in the race to 1,000 career points in college. While Clark took 40 games to reach that milestone, Watkins took 38 games. However, the record is shared between three NCAA icons.
Maree Jackson (LSU from 1976 to 1978), Carol Menken-Schaudt (Oregon State from 1979 to 1981) and Sandra Hodge (New Orleans from 1981 to 1984) reached 1000 points in 37 games.
Paige Bueckers, on the other hand, is following a similar career path as Clark. She is widely considered the favorite to be the #1 pick in the upcoming WNBA draft.
As the Dallas Wings secured the first pick for the 2025 WNBA draft on Sunday, could Bueckers do for Dallas what Clark did for Indiana? While Paige certainly doesn't stretch the floor like the 2024 WNBA assists champion, she might bring the revolution that the Dallas Wings need to become a playoff contender.