“Would be great for women hoops if Paige Bueckers & JuJu Watkins can be in the class of Caitlin Clark”: Sports broadcaster gives his two cents

Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins are arguably the faces of women's college basketball this season. In the recent past, Bueckers and former Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark have become subjects of several comparisons among college basketball fans, with Watkins emerging as a fresh face in the conversation following a breakout freshman year at University of Southern California last season.

Earlier today, renowned sports broadcaster Robin Lundberg had his say on the current faces of women's basketball. While he acknowledged Clark was in a league of her own, he hoped to see Bueckers and Watkins feature in the same class as the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year.

"In the women's basketball world, it's now, everybody, who's next with Caitlin Clark, and trust me, it would be great for women's hoops and the media industry if Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins can be in the class of Caitlin Clark," said Lundberg.

"But, I often go back to the fact that it's a high bar to reach. These aren't things you can speak into existence." (0:12)

After acknowledging Bueckers' massive NIL deal with Nike and her potential to be the top pick in next year's WNBA draft, Lundberg went on to highlight how the discussion around Clark varies, addressing her failure to win the NCAA Tournament at Iowa and her stellar rookie season in the WNBA.

"I feel like people move the goal posts a little when it comes to Caitlin. She doesn't have a national championship, and that's held against her. But, you don't hear that with the others or she has already proved herself in the WNBA. And you don't hear these doubts about others or what they might do in the WNBA.

"All I'm saying is I would love to be able to debate Caitlin Clark against Paige Bueckers and then eventually, JuJu Watkins." (0:46)

Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins make strong starts to the 2024-25 season

Bueckers has shown just how driven she is to win the national championship in her final season at Storrs, leading University of Connecticut to victory in all their seven games so far. Across those games, she has averaged 20.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists.

Meanwhile, Watkins has powered the Trojans to seven wins in their opening eight games, averaging 25.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists so far this season. Bueckers and Watkins were the only players to earn a unanimous selection in AP's Preseason All-American Team, and will be critical to their respective teams' chances of winning the national championship this season.