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Geno Auriemma Assesses WNBA Draft Stock of UConn Standouts

UConn Huskies coach Geno Auriemma got honest about whether he thinks two of his players will get drafted tomorrow.
Grant Young|
Apr 5, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma talks to media before the NCAA Woman’s Final practice at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Apr 5, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma talks to media before the NCAA Woman’s Final practice at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

There is little doubt that UConn Huskies superstar Paige Bueckers is going to be the No. 1 pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft, which takes place tomorrow evening.

However, Bueckers isn't the only Huskies player who could get selected tomorrow. Aubrey Griffin and Kaitlyn Chen have also declared for the draft and are hoping to hear their names called, although it's unclear whether either will indeed be one of the 38 picks.

What's for sure is that legendary head coach Geno Auriemma has done everything he can to put Chen and Griffin in a good place to get drafted. And when speaking with the media after his team's national championship parade on Sunday, Auriemma spoke about both players' chances of getting selected.

"I've gotten different views from different people," Auriemma said when asked about what he's hearing about Chen and Griffin getting drafted, per an X post from Storrs Central. "I think they'll both end up... [the WNBA] added teams, and I think both of their chances are awfully good.

"Aubrey is still not 100%, so her situation is a little bit different. But I think the way Kaitlyn played, and some of the things she did. She brings real value to a team," he continued. "So I'm excited to hear what comes."

There were only 36 picks in the 2024 WNBA Draft, so there being two more this year (because of the Golden State Valkyries becoming a WNBA franchise) increases the chances that Chen and Griffin will get their names called.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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