Paige Bueckers vs Cameron Brink – Which NCAA Sensation Holds the Edge for WNBA?

Published 01/15/2024, 2:59 PM EST

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A compelling competition has gripped the NCAA women’s division players in the run-up to the new WNBA season. A few of the top college competitors have already demonstrated their most formidable forms. However, at the fag-end of NCAA, the rankings resemble a roller coaster. Fans will have to keep an eye out for some thrilling performances because the top 25 women’s college basketball players now include nine new individuals.

And the most surprising factor this season was the rise of Cameron Brink and Paige Bueckers. Paige was sidelined for a season with an ACL tear, while Brink passed through an unannounced notice. These two have some extraordinary stats under their basketball resumes.

Unexpected CBB rankings

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In the limelight of Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, who are ruling the basketball season, it is common to outcast the other players, but polls and stats did bring such stars out of the shade to show us how these stars are valued prospects.

ESPN has recently unveiled the much-anticipated list of the top 25 players for the upcoming 2023–24 season, and leading the pack is none other than Caitlin Clark, the esteemed Sporting News athlete of the year. Cardinal Stanford’s very own Cameron Brink has solidified her position as the second spot holder. She replaced people like Paige Bueckers, which shocked everyone given how dominant Paige was at UConn.

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Brink is a strong scorer who has played a significant role in the Cardinals’ third-place Pac-12 Conference result. She leads the team in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, field goals, and free throw percentage. As a senior, she demonstrated leadership on the court and reached the pinnacle of her attacking skills.

Paige Bueckers on the other hand has been in third place. Bueckers is recuperating from an ACL tear that kept her out of the previous season. The Preseason All-American for this season, though, is averaging 18.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game—better than ever.

From guiding her team to triumphs to stunning everyone with her amazing ball-handling abilities, Bueckers has demonstrated that she is a force to be reckoned with on the court.

Who plays a better game?

Paige Bueckers has played a crucial role in her team’s success, thanks to her ability to score important shots and create opportunities for her teammates to score easily. She impresses everyone with her remarkable shooting skills, particularly from beyond the arc, where she boasts a 47.9 percent shooting accuracy. Additionally, she displays great precision, shooting 53 percent from the field.

On the other hand, Brink has emerged as a top contender for the national award, as she has been named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year twice. Her exceptional performance and leadership qualities have not only contributed to her team’s success but have also earned her well-deserved recognition. With impressive statistics and a significant impact on the court, Brink has firmly established herself as a leading candidate.

Cameron Brink has significantly improved her stats, which is a testament to her potential. She is now scoring 10 more points per game on average than she did as a freshman (19 points per game on average). She also has 3.5 blocks per game, which puts her fourth in the nation.

Brink’s field goal percentage is 62.2, and her free throw accuracy is an astounding 94.0%. She has also pulled down 11 rebounds per game and shot 37.5 percent of her 3-pointers with efficiency.

Paige Bueckers is averaging 19.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists as of the 2023 season. Bueckers also shoots 47.6% from the field and 44.0% from three-point range. The two metrics are comparable when they contribute to a team’s success rate.

Read More: Back From the Bottom, Paige Bueckers Pours Gratitude on Her Comeback Year

The game of fame: NIL deals

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Despite her injuries, University of Connecticut basketball star Paige Buecker has been a major contributor to the NIL market. Along with announcing a $50,000 commitment to a nearby food pantry in Connecticut in collaboration with one of her previous NIL sponsors, she inked a NIL contract with Nike in September.

Despite not having played basketball for the past 17 months, Bueckers believes that her NIL agreement has enabled her to give back to her community. Bueckers’ persistent success with NIL deals proves that her star power endures despite her disabilities. She had an ACL injury that kept her out of action for the whole 2022–2023 season, but her NIL valuation of $641,000 places her in the top 75 among all collegiate athletes.

Cameron Brink, Stanford’s highest-paid female athlete through NIL, has signed a new NIL contract. As the first woman to play women’s basketball in New Balance’s NIL program, the rising senior inked a contract with the clothing and footwear brand.

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Brink has a net worth of about $200,000, placing her sixth in the US among women’s collegiate basketball players. This information comes from On3. Brink has previously been associated with Chegg, Buick, Celsius, and Urban Outfitters, among other NIL deals. She has partnered with New Balance alongside NBA players including Dejounte Murray, Zach LaVine, Jamal Murray, and Kawhi Leonard.

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Written by:

Nima Murugan

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“Basketball isn’t an act of jumping jacks, it’s a sport mirroring life through assists and rebounds”. Before becoming an NBA writer at EssentiallySports, I was drawn to the world of basketball when 'The Chosen One' first started locking horns with 'His Airness' over the GOAT debate. Some discourses shape your imagination and rightly so.
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Edited by:

Bilal Handoo