Paige Palmer Knows: Hype Is Easy — BEING A “MICKEY D” ALL AMERICAN TAKES WORK

This weekend, Paige Palmer heads to Las Vegas for the Wooden Top 150. For a lot of young players, this is a huge weekend.

And it is.

But let’s be honest about what the Wooden Top 150 is — and what it isn’t.

Nobody can honestly tell you who the 150 best players in the country are. Nobody can watch every player, every game, every possession and evaluate 150 players equally.

There is going to be hype.

There is going to be attention.

There are going to be rankings.

And there are going to be parents watching where their daughter stands. But there is something else happening in Las Vegas that matters much more.

Opportunity.

The Wooden Top 150 is one of the better-run events in the country because it gives young players an opportunity to put themselves in front of people who matter. In this case, one of the biggest prizes in girls basketball is sitting at the end of the road:

The McDonald’s All American Game.

People connected to that process will be watching. That means this weekend gives players a chance to make a statement. And if there is one player I don’t expect to get caught up in the hype, it’s Paige Palmer.

PAIGE ISN’T CHASING THE SPOTLIGHT

While some players and parents will arrive in Las Vegas worried about rankings, being seen and becoming a star, Paige has a different agenda.

GET BETTER.

BE A GREAT TEAMMATE.

LEARN HOW TO WIN.

Those words sound good.

Every parent says them.

Very few actually live by them.

Paige’s parents understand something important: their daughter is on a journey.

Her father played basketball at Notre Dame.

Her mother won a national championship at Notre Dame.

They know what high-level basketball looks like.

They also understand that talent alone doesn’t create great players.

That’s why Paige’s inner circle is small.

And honest.

She isn’t surrounded by people telling her how great she is.

She’s surrounded by people willing to give her NOTHING BUT TRUTH MEDICINE.

That’s rare.

And it’s valuable.

OLD TAPPAN WASN’T AN ACCIDENT

When Paige Palmer chose Old Tappan, some people were shocked. They shouldn’t have been. Her father wanted her in an environment where she would have responsibility. Where she would have to lead. Where she would have to help younger and less-talented teammates. Where she would learn that being part of a student body is different from being treated like a star.

That’s development.

Real development.

Because great players aren’t simply talented.

They’re humble.

They’re compassionate.

They’re accountable.

And they’re willing to do things that don’t always show up in a box score. Paige is learning those lessons now. That isn’t an accident. It’s part of the plan.

SQUEEZE THE TALENT

On weekends, Paige makes the drive to NBS — roughly an hour and 15 minutes.

Why?

Because her father understands that development requires competition.

Older players.

Bigger players.

Stronger players.

Players who won’t care that she’s New Jersey 2030 class GOAT

Players who won’t give her anything.

And that’s exactly what Paige needs.

She isn’t going there for special treatment.

She’s going there to work.

She’s going there to get exposed.

She’s going there to find the holes in her game.

She’s going there to have her talent squeezed until there isn’t much more left to squeeze.

That’s development.

And that’s one of the things separating Paige Palmer from so many young players.

I WATCHED THE GAMES

I watched Paige all summer on the EYBL circuit. I watched game after game. And here’s what stood out to me: It wasn’t simply the points. It wasn’t the highlights. It wasn’t the hype. It was the stuff that doesn’t always make the social-media clips.

The rebounds.

The tough points.

The high-percentage shooting.

The defense.

The extra pass.

The possessions that helped her team win.

The little things.

EYBL basketball can become very individual at times. One-on-one basketball can take over.

Paige kept doing something different.

She kept playing winning basketball.

And that’s why I keep saying:

THE VIDEO DOESN’T LIE.

There is hype.

And then there is game.

There is talk.

And then there is production.

There is potential.

And then there is improvement.

Those are not the same things.

LET THE GAME SPEAK

There will always be politics surrounding major awards.

There will always be people campaigning.

There will always be people trying to influence voters.

Paige Palmer and her family aren’t going to play that game.

They don’t need to.

They remind me in some ways of the Nyemchek family.

Let the basketball speak.

Let the character speak.

Let the work speak.

Let the improvement speak.

That’s a much harder road.

But it’s also a road that doesn’t require anyone to convince people you’re good.

LAS VEGAS ISN’T THE DESTINATION

For Paige Palmer, the Wooden Top 150 isn’t the finish line.

It’s another stop.

Another classroom.

Another opportunity to learn.

Another chance to compete against some of the best young players in the country.

While some people will leave Las Vegas thinking about rankings, Paige will leave thinking about what she needs to improve.

And that’s the difference.

Some players chase recognition.

Some players chase rankings.

Some players chase followers.

Paige is chasing development.

And if she continues down that road, the recognition will eventually find her.

Four years from now, don’t be surprised if New Jersey has another McDonald’s All American.

And don’t be surprised if that player is named:

PAIGE PALMER.

The hype will come.

The rankings will come.

The attention will come.

But first comes the work.

NOTHING BUT TRUTH.

NOTHING BUT DEVELOPMENT.

NOTHING BUT BASKETBALL