have not heard the news. Paige Beckers has ended the debate with Rookie of the Year with Sona Citron. Uh she put on a masterclass performance, but what is making headlines and really scratching people heads and turning people heads, not Paige Becker’s actual performance, but the way the opposing teams all season long has been allowing her to score at will. Now, I know y’all f to say, John Liquidator, why you lying? Why you making all this up? Just give credit where credit is due. And I’mma give her credit. He’s making some incredible shots, but let’s be serious. There’s no traps being ran on P. Picture this.

You drop 44 points like it’s NBA 2K on rookie mode, only for the other team to get busted in the shadiest dupes of the season. That’s exactly where the WNBA is right now. Drama so messy it feels less like basketball and more like courtroom theater.

Paige Bucher went full demolition mode and suddenly the whispers about cheating aren’t whispers anymore. They’re sirens. This scandal, it makes your favorite reality TV look like nap time. My rookie, Paige Beckers, aka Sweet Pea, gave the Sparks 44 last night. Let’s get into that footage. She’s the only player this year to score over 40 points. You see the behind the back in and out layup. Let’s Let’s break it down a little slow. Okay, here you see Paige’s defender is going to anticipate the pick right here.

Pick coming to her right and Paige’s left. She’s going to jump that pick. Paige sees her jump the pick. She takes the ball with her left, goes behind the back right. The WNBA is starting to feel downright eerie, like Halloween showed up early and the refs left their whistles at home. Paige Buer strolled into the game, unleashed a casual 44-point storm, and the only real hustle came from concession workers scrambling to refill popcorn.

You’d figure after a rookie slices through your defense for 10 straight buckets, someone might at least wave a hand in her direction. Instead, it was a onewoman haunted house on the court. Wide open looks. And I got the evidence here to prove it. And um at the end of the day, Paige Beckers is basically being propped upon to replace Caitlyn. There’s no doubt about it in my mind. Um this league would rather have Paige be the face of the league over Caitlyn any day.

Um I don’t have anything personally against Paige. I like her as a player. I like her as a person. But when it comes to conspiracies, I got a job to do. And my job is to expose the fake and it’s supposed to real. And the real of the matter is that Paige Beckers is getting these open looks on, but nope. Defenses treated Paige like she was a celebrity on the guest list. Velvet ropes down, red carpet ready. Security waving her right in. And before anyone yells hater, let’s be clear, Paige is the real deal.

She can shoot, drive, and dish with the best of them. No argument there. But when the defense is out here looking more like background extras in a State Farm commercial than professional athletes, you’ve got to wonder, are we actually watching competitive basketball or some pre-written reality show where the script guarantees the star always gets the perfect ending? Let’s not act like this is business as usual. Dropping 44 isn’t a fluke. It’s a straightup massacre. One side showed up with water pistols. The other launched a full-on missile strike. And while Defender stood frozen like a glitched video game, the conversation somehow skipped right past accountability. Instead, everyone’s already engraving Paige’s name on the Rookie of the Year trophy like it was locked in months ago. Sonia Citroen, appreciate the effort, but you’re basically a background extra in the endless page Buer’s highlight montage. The league keeps playing on repeat. the only player in WNBA history to score 44 points in a single game. And excuse me, rookie to score 44 in a single game. Now you see her on the block with a Michael Jordan Kobe type of fade away and one quit playing with my young right there. Now you see her on the block. She working her way down to that block. She spinning pivot out the other way. Now she getting a little contact. Okay, the contact is cool. I’mma go up and under you. Okay. Hey, no, you still got some good defense on me.

All right, well, let’s just see. Can you defend this? But here’s the thing. The headlines weren’t focused on Paige’s sheer dominance during the game. No, the real story left fans more puzzled than a cat watching a magic trick, scratching their heads wondering what they just saw. People quickly noticed how suspiciously easy her scoring looked. We’re talking wideopen shots, uncontested drives, and jumpers taken without a defender in sight. It was as if the opposing players were auditioning for a background role in Space. Jam. N1 even bothered to challenge her. Double teams non-existent. Traps. Never heard of them. Help defense. It might as well have been on vacation.

You’d think after she scored her first 10 points, coaches would be screaming from the sidelines, “Guard her like your rent depends on it.” But in this bizarre upside down WNBA universe, the strategy seemed to be let’s see what happens if she drops 40 points. Spoiler alert, what happened was exactly what everyone predicted. Paige looked like Michael Jordan at a YMCA pickup game. The conspiracy theories are already swirling. Some fans are claiming Paige is being carefully groomed as the league’s next superstar, intentionally placed in the spotlight to supplant Caitlyn Clark as the league’s golden girl. And honestly, after watching that game, it’s hard not to wonder because Caitlyn Clark never, let me repeat, never got this kind of free space. She was constantly double or triple teamed, struggling to even get a shot off. Meanwhile, Paige was strolling into mid-range jumpers with defenders barely jogging behind her as if they were on a morning walk rather than trying to defend her. Last night, Paige Beckers went absolutely bananas against the Los Angeles Sparks. Now, picture this for just a second. I got back home last night around 12:30, like super late. I pull up my phone just for a little bit, see what’s up, and I see this right here.

Paige Beckers with 44 points, 17 for 21 shooting, which is crazy. That’s like 80% four rebounds, three assists. She went crazy. I also caught this post here from Stat Muse where not only did she tie the record for most points ever by a rookie, but she’s also the first player in WNBA history to put up 40 plus points on 80 plus% shooting. The evidence is all around us. Just watch the tape. Paige shoots a three and the defender is literally behind her. Not beside her, not in front of her, behind her. Since when did defending from behind become a legitimate strategy? That’s not defense. That’s shadowing for stamina and it kept happening again and again. Open lanes, no contests, defenders stopping midplay as if they’d forgotten the rules of basketball. At one point, it looked like the opponent simply paused midun and let Paige glide past without even trying to contest. Sure, you could argue she’s just that good, but come on, nobody’s that unstoppable. Even Stephen Curry faces double teams. Even prime LeBron was met with hard fouls to slow him down. But Paige, she’s getting wide open shots in real WNBA games while defenders politely clap from the sidelines. Kelsey Plum seemed like the only player who remembered that defense still matters. She actually tried to slow Paige down, but the rest of the team, they appeared to be playing the invisible defense game. Hands down, eyes elsewhere, letting Paige rack up points like it was charity work. And the crazy part, this wasn’t just a few plays. It was the entire game. Layups with nobody in the paint. Mid-range pull-ups with defenders socially distancing 6 ft away as if it’s 2020 again. Three-pointers were the nearest contest was a fan in the third row holding nachos. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Fore, [Music] etc. You might call it lazy defense or outright incompetence, but when it keeps happening game after game, it’s hard not to see it as something more planned, almost choreographed. Like someone whispered in the locker room before tip off, “Tonight, Paige eats. Everyone else, take the night off.” And the debate immediately exploded, “Paige versus Caitlyn.” Suddenly, people are claiming Paige is the better player, as if dropping 44 points with zero defensive pressure somehow proves her superiority. It’s like comparing a marathon runner to Usain Bolt, except Bolt is carrying a backpack full of bricks. Caitlyn fought through relentless traps and harassment to carry her team to the playoffs, battling constant double teams and defensive chaos, while Paige is feasting on defenders who seem to stand around with their hands in their pockets.

Olay, right this way. superstar. The treatment is glaring, and if the league wants to crown its next face that way, it’s an insult to fans intelligence. We see the wide openen looks, the defenders casually standing aside, and the stark difference in how Caitlyn was guarded versus how Paige is treated. Paige is undeniably talented, but the optics are terrible. It’s obvious to everyone watching that the league’s favoritism is influencing the game, and that undermines the integrity of the sport. Fans aren’t fools.

They notice the favoritism and the unfair treatment and it’s hard to accept. Have y’all ever heard the saying comparison is the thief of joy? Because every time I see Paige have a good game now, the only thing I see on social media is Paige is really who we thought you know who was and the you know who is referring to Caitlin Clark. Now, the reason this bugs me is one is that it diminishes Paige, right? It it puts her in this hole that she can only be compared to Caitlyn Clark. Whereas her greatness can stand on its own two feet, right? As good as she has been since she stepped in the WNBA this season as a rookie can stand on its own two feet without having to constantly be compared to Caitlyn Clark. If the WNBA is truly allowing Paige Buers to coast into superstardom by playing defense optional, it’s not just a highlight reel. It’s a serious black eye for the league. And don’t even get me started on the playoff picture. Caitlyn fought tooth and nail to drag her team into the postseason, facing relentless double teams and constant pressure from every defense in the league. Meanwhile, Paige and Angel Ree are sitting comfortably at home, sipping smoothies and watching it all unfold. Because right now, the WNBA feels less like genuine competition and more like manufactured drama. And honestly, that’s the most unsettling part. Let’s look at the evidence. Because if this game were a courtroom case, the pile of proof would already have the jury yawning.

Exhibit A, the three-pointer, where Paige’s defender is jogging behind her as if she’s late for brunch. Paige pulls up smoothly like butter while the defender is still trying to figure out how physics works when she’s two steps behind. No contest, no hand up, just an open shot. Even middle school coaches would be yelling at. If I was Paige, I would be in that locker room lighting people up. Ain’t no way I put up 44 points and we still lost by one. And the reason we lost by one is because there was no help side. And then yo, watch go to the basket. Oh, that would send me through the roof. That would send me through the Y. Yo, M. She a better team player than I am cuz boy, I will be lighting everybody up. I’ll be sitting in a locker room calling everybody out by name. Exhibit B, the open lane that’s practically begging for a bus to drive through with enough room for the marching band to march alongside. Paige casually strolls to the basket, lays it in effortlessly, and the defender just stops completely frozen, like her Wi-Fi dropped or her controller disconnected midplay. You can’t honestly tell me that’s just poor defense. That’s way too convenient. Remember how Caitlyn Clark was doubleteamed the instant she crossed half court? How defenses were entirely focused on shutting her down? Yeah, none of that was happening here. And every time she made another shot, commentators acted like they just seen a basketball miracle. Oh my goodness, Paige is unstoppable. Well, of course she’s unstoppable when the defense is basically non-existent. Like cardboard cutouts. Honestly, if you or I had that much space, we’d probably score a few buckets, too. Maybe not 44, but at least five. And beyond this game, the bigger issue is how the league seems to be guiding the narrative. All right. Is y’all capping at me or did Paige basically score 50?

Did Paige just go for 50? Tell me y’all capping. Tell me y’all capping right now. There’s no way she went for 50. I know it’s 44, but I’m basically saying 50. She was six points away from it. She was six points, bro. She was six points away from 50. 44 ball. That’s how you feeling, Paige. Just go ahead and hand her the rookie of the year trophy already. Let’s go ahead and do that. All right. Thank you. For months, Caitlyn Clark was the undeniable star. Crowded arenas, record-breaking ratings, and her carrying her team into the playoffs with sheer determination, all while defendersounded her every move. But now, suddenly, Paige is receiving the full Cinderella treatment. Coincidence?

Perhaps not, especially when the league seems eager for a fresh poster girl. Paige checks all the boxes. Marketable, talented, fitting the safe narrative. So, what better way to boost her profile than by showcasing her dropping 44 points with defenders seemingly giving her open shots. It’s the perfect highlight reel. Look at Paige dominating even as avid viewers squint and wonder, “Isn’t anyone else noticing this?” And then the irony hits harder. While Paige is handed easy opportunities, Angel Ree is fighting an uphill battle, once again eliminated from the playoffs. Caitlyn, on the other hand, has carried her team through adversity, dragging them like a parent hauling a tired kid out of Disneyland after a long day.

The WNBA seems dangerously close to borrowing the same storyline. Paige as the chosen one, Caitlyn as the rival, Angel as the underdog who just can’t catch a break. It’s almost written in the stars, missing only a steel chair and a thunderous theme song. All the talk she heard all the pages in Rookie of the Year. Paige can’t carry. Paige doesn’t um Paige is just consistently losing. And by the way, they lost this game. They did not lose this game because of Paige. Like again, look, I don’t hate the last possession. I don’t hate um like that. um like I don’t really necessarily hate Paige um not going for it. But yeah, it’s a it doesn’t really matter at this stage. It doesn’t really matter. Like everyone’s going to be in my ear being like, “Oh, you’re a page hater. You’re a page hater.” It’s like, “Yes, I am a page hater.” And my reason for being a page hater is I think page backers can be the best guard. And the fans, oh, they’re divided like a Thanksgiving family dinner. Half are chanting Paige’s name, insisting she’s already better than Caitlyn. The other half are face palming so hard they’re leaving dents in their foreheads. Because anyone with eyes can see the difference in treatment. Caitlyn had defenses breathing down her neck every possession, while Paige is getting the after you ma’am treatment on every drive. And the media, they’re drooling over Paige’s stat line, acting like she reinvented basketball. That’s not just disrespectful, it’s comedy gold. And here’s the kicker. Even with Paige’s big night, her team is still out of the playoffs. Let that sink in. All that hype, all those open looks, and she’s still at home watching Caitlyn play postseason basketball. But hey, why let facts ruin a good story line?

Now, let’s rewind and really emphasize this point. Paige is not a bad player. In fact, she’s incredibly skilled. She has great court vision, a killer mid-range, and the competence to take over games. Nobody is denying that. What we’re questioning is why defenses are treating her like a charity case. Why she’s allowed to run free while other rookies, especially Caitlyn, areounded like fugitives. We’re also acting like Caitlyn Clark has not been injured for this entire season, right? And to to act like and use Paige being successful this season as some sort of demare to Caitlyn as if she’s not nasty when she’s on the court is just ludicrous, for lack of a better term. It doesn’t make any sense. Paige is great in her own right, and she will be and continue to be one of the best players in the WNBA for years to come. And maybe, just maybe, the league’s intent is to help Paige shine. They see her as the safer, more marketable face, the one they want plastered on billboards and commercials. It’s not solely about her skills. It’s about the optics, the image they want to project. If that’s true, then what’s happening isn’t just basketball. It’s entertainment, more like a low-budget soap opera than genuine sport.

Conspiracies don’t need to be true to seem believable. They just have to feel plausible. Watching Paige’s highlights from that game, it’s impossible not to see how obvious it all is. Wide open shots, defenders stepping aside as if instructed to do so. No traps, no pressure. It’s almost gift wrapped for her. Instead, defenders looked like they were allergic to guarding her. As if they received a memo, “Don’t touch Paige. She’s delicate. Let her cook.” And let’s not forget, Paige isn’t even known as a three-point sniper. She’s a mid-range scorer, a crafty finisher. Yet, in that game, it was like the defense handed her the keys to every zone. layups, wide open, pull-ups, all hers, open threes. They might as well have been standing aside and tying their shoelaces. 44 points. Paige Becker scored 44 points in a single game in her rookie season. She just beat Candace Parker’s record. And that’s the most points scored by anybody in a single game in the whole season with an 81% field goal percentage. Are you kidding me? If she’s not your rookie of the year, I don’t know what you guys are thinking. At some point, what we’re witnessing stops being called bad defense and starts to look like suspicious cooperation. Because what we saw wasn’t real competitive basketball. It resembled a staged show with Paige as the star.

If the WNBA believes this is a smart way to generate hype, they’re playing a dangerous game. Not long ago, Caitlyn was the league’s golden girl, the ratings generator, the attendance booster, the reason casual fans tuned in. One night of statistically inflated performance from Paige, and suddenly she’s the chosen one. Imagine being Caitlyn doing all the heavy lifting, absorbing the pressure, only to watch Paige get lauded for layups where defenders practically waved her through like traffic cops. That irony deserves its own Netflix series. And let’s not forget Paige’s team is already out of the running. Unbelievable. Unbelievingable. Shout out Paige Beckers for winning rookie of the year. Um, look, I thought Sonia Citron had overtaken her.

The only way Sonia Citron even gets back in the conversation is if the wings is if the Mystics make the playoffs. And had the Mystics beat the Sun, we’re in a different conversation here. We’re in a very different conversation here. But I’m sorry, awards, rookie of the year, MVPs, they’re about moments as much as anything. Look, like we we all remember Michael Carter Williams winning a Rookie of the Year because of essentially Let’s paint the picture one more time. Caitlyn steps on the court and instantly two defenders glue themselves to her. She’s fighting through double screens, getting bodied every possession, hacking her way into points that should count double for the amount of effort required. Here’s where it gets spicy. fans will forgive bad games. They’ll forgive missed shots. But they won’t forgive feeling like the product is rigged. And right now, that’s exactly how it looks. And the WNBA, in its desperation to crown a new face, might have just played its hand, too. Obviously, because if you want Paige to be the star, fine. Let her earn it. Let her fight through doubles. Let her prove it against real defense. Let her show she can shine under the same pressure Caitlyn faces every single night. Until then, all this hype is built on sand