SAN FRANCISCO – Kaitlyn Chen usually keeps her answers short and to the point when fielding questions.
How was the Valkyries rookie’s first All-Star break?
Chen hesitantly divulged that “I spent it here.” When pressed for further details, she revealed … “It was nice.”
But when asked about her team’s first opponent since that “relaxing” break, Chen opened up.
Dallas Wings point guard and overwhelming Rookie of the Year frontrunner Paige Buckers, Chen’s former UConn teammate, has that effect on people.
“Paige is someone who is very selfless,” Chen told the Bay Area News Group. “You can see that with everything she does, on and off the court, and you can tell by the way she speaks so highly of her teammates and her coaches. She’s definitely someone you want to surround yourself with.”
Bueckers was similarly effusive in a pregame interview on Friday night when describing Chen, who started alongside her in the Huskies’ run to the program’s 12th NCAA title in 2025.
“She’s one of my sisters, so it’s great to see her thrive and compete on the other end,” said Bueckers, who caught up with Chen at dinner on Thursday night. Bueckers had 17 points and six assists for the Wings on Friday night. Chen was scoreless in four minutes, but left with an 86-76 Golden State win.
After graduating from Princeton in 2024 with a degree in medical anthropology, Chen used her final year of NCAA eligibility to play for coach Geno Auriemma and his legendary Huskies dynasty.
UConn was “suffering” through an eight-year championship drought, a once-unthinkable dry spell for a program that piled up six trophies from 2009-16 and enjoyed winning streaks of 111, 90 and 70 games since the year 2000.
Chen was not on campus long before it was clear Bueckers was just as integral as Auriemma when it came to setting the tone for her one season in Storrs.
“She was a big part of getting everyone on board and understanding how important this was, and what we had to do in order to achieve it,” Chen said.
After winning that championship, the starting backcourt began their professional journeys. But while Bueckers has been tasked with resurrecting the Wings as the top pick, Chen’s journey has gotten off to a rockier start.
She was selected No. 30 overall in April – a moment that saw Bueckers and her UConn teammates celebrate with Chen in the stands – but was cut in training camp.
Golden State Valkyries’ Kaitlyn Chen (2) celebrates a basket and foul on Golden State Valkyries’ Stephanie Talbot (7) against the Connecticut Sun in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Chen was out of the WNBA for a few weeks, but returned after EuroBasket cleared out the Valkyries’ roster.
She played so well that the team decided to roll with her as the team’s final guard and controversially cutting fan favorite Julie Vanloo.
“I feel like just feeling more comfortable being here, and sort of finding my role within the team (is the biggest difference),” Chen said. “Obviously that’s hard when I’m in training camp, but being back here the second time, I’m just sort of figuring that out.”
In all, Chen and Bueckers are three months and a world removed from that joyous night at the national championship game.
“Life was very different than it is now,” Chen said.
But now professionals, the two are still buoyed by their time at UConn.
Ten of the WNBA’s 13 teams have at least one Husky on their roster. UConn sports 16 current players and several more in the coaching ranks.
They count retired legends such as Diana Taurasi and Rebecca Lobo as alumni.
That forms the bedrock of a network that fellow UConn alum Tiffany Hayes called a “sisterhood.”
“Every team in college says it, but we actually are a family,” said Hayes, now Chen’s teammate on the Valkyries. “Even if we don’t talk every day, we check in on each other.”
Tiffany Hayes #15 of the Golden State Valkyries drives to the basket during the game against the Seattle Storm on June 29, 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Bueckers agreed.
“You’re connected not by choice, but by a bond of shared experiences and shared love for where we came from and what we’ve been through,” Bueckers said. “It’s really awesome to have that connection.”
Chen’s role with the Valkyries has been more understated than the one played by many of her UConn “family,” but that could be set to change.
With All-Star Kayla Thornton lost for the season with a knee injury, other players will need to step up if Golden State is to remain in the playoff race.
Chen is ready to do whatever is required of her, and even before Thornton’s injury, was primed to take a second-half leap.
“I’ve been looking to be more aggressive and take advantage of opportunities that I’m given,” Chen said.
Originally Published: July 25, 2025 at 1:03 PM PDT
