"She just doesn't make stupid mistakes": Elle Duncan busts Paige Bueckers' TikTok myth, crowns UConn Star as "the face of women's college basketball"

Renowned anchor Elle Duncan recently called out Paige Bueckers' naysayers in her podcast on Dec. 3. After proclaiming that Bueckers is the face of Women's College Basketball in response to her co-host Gary Striewski, Duncan expressed her frustrations regarding the narrative that the UConn star is only known for being famous on TikTok.

"Please, be clear. When we talk about Paige, it's not just like 'Oh, she's so popular on Tiktok that's why she's the face.' She's so good," Duncan explained. (17:54)

Howeve, Duncan believes that the Tiktok popularity is still a boon for Bueckers, stating:

"(The Tiktok numbers) They're great. (But,) Her efficiency is actually staggering when you look at her numbers; 62% field goal percentage and a 4 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio. So, four dimes for every turnover." (18:17)

The "The Elle Duncan Show" host further discussed the importance of the senior sensation to head coach Geno Auriemma and the UConn Huskies.

"She's a coach's dream, and Geno's talked about this, because she doesn't cost you. She may not have a great night and she might not like the lamp and do all the things we've come to expect from her. But, she will not cost you a game," Duncan asserted. (18:43)

"She will win you a game. She will be steady in a game and do enough. She will never cost you a game because she just doesn't make stupid mistakes," Duncan added. (18:56)

UConn's 7-0 start thus far in the 2024-2025 season can be attributed to Bueckers' leadership. The 6-foot dynamo guard is currently leading her team with 22 points on Duncan's aforementioned 62.7% shooting clip, 4.5 rebounds and assists apiece, and 2.5 steals.

The Huskies will aim to get their eighth win of the season on Saturday, Dec. 7, against the Louisville Cardinals in the Barclays Center as Bueckers' role as team captain will be back on display.

Elle Duncan says Bueckers' Nike deal doesn't matter to Caitlin Clark

As two of the biggest names in women's basketball, Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark have had their careers compared to each other countless times, even though the former is not in the WNBA yet.

Bueckers got to release a player edition colorway of the Nike G.T. Hustle 3, while Clark, who has been signed to Nike for a while, still hasn't gotten her signature shoe.

Duncan says, however, that this is not a knock on Clark's emerging career thus far, as she discussed:

"I just gotta say, they don't mean anything. One benefitting from something doesn't mean anything to the other. But, I do think it's a question of what her specific impact is," Duncan said in reply of her own mockery of fan concerns about Clark. (2:28)

Bueckers is only launching a sneaker colorway with Nike, unlike established superstar Sabrina Ionescu, who has had two successful signature shoes so far with the brand. Clark might make the jump to ink her signature shoe deal instead of going through a PE first.