Caitlin Clark Comparisons Will Put Pressure On JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers

Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins are poised to continue to star for UConn and USC respectively, but comparisons to Caitlin Clark will be tough to meet.

Apr 1, 2024; Portland, OR, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) drives to the basket during the second half against UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) in the finals of the Portland Regional of the NCAA Tournament at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Women's basketball has never been in a better place, and the good news is a new wave of stars is on the way.

Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins enter this NCAA season bringing tons of hype to UConn and USC respectively. And both have proven they have the game to deliver on it.

However, as is naturally the case in sports talk, the comparisons to other greats have already begun. In this instance specifically, that means Caitlin Clark. Since Caitlin was the seismic event that changed the landscape of the sport forever and they are the players who have been dubbed to, "have next."

It seems every day on social media someone is starting an argument pitting one of the two against CC. And even NBA legend Charles Barkley recently said, "Caitlin is a supernova. And JuJu is probably a better player," in an appearance on "The Throwbacks" podcast when former USC football legend Matt Leinart asserted that he thinks Watkins will be even better than Clark.

While there is nothing wrong with said comparisons, they will bring a degree of pressure upon both college standouts.

Because despite all the discussions about Clark's popularity and the noise that surrounded her rookie season, it was always backed up by basketball. Caitlin was not some Tim Tebow or Jeremy Lin-type sensation.

She is the NCAA's all-time leading scorer, after all, and broke all sorts of records in her rookie season in the WNBA, putting her prowess as both a scorer and a passer on display. In other words, she has set the bar absurdly high.

So even if Watkins or Bueckers is unable to clear it, which is more likely than not, that doesn't make them failures.

Bueckers' smooth all-around play has made her the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, while Watkins' explosive strength propelled her to break the freshman scoring record.

So both are on track to be stars in their own right, regardless of whether they belong in the same sentence as Clark.

Hopefully, Paige and JuJu can shrug off the noise much like Caitlin has. Because they shouldn't be pressured to equal the impact of a generational phenomenon.

If somehow they do, that's even better.