Women's Fastbreak On SI

Geno Auriemma Gets Clear About Kaitlyn Chen's WNBA Standing Amid Valkyries Signing

UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma explained why Kaitlyn Chen deserves to be in the WNBA.
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

In the midst of the UConn Huskies women's basketball team's run to the 2025 NCAA national championship, legendary head coach Geno Auriemma sent a strong message about starting guard Kaitlyn Chen's prospects for playing in the WNBA.

"Kaitlyn Chen is the kind of player that every really, really good team has," Auriemma said, per The UConn Daily YouTube account. "And I think she has raised her [WNBA Draft] stock. Because a lot of the GMs and a lot of the head coaches that have come to practice, she has become a better-than-average three-point shooter, she's a tremendous free throw shooter.

"She's going to make it in that league. I think if she was a back-up point guard for you her first year, you'd be hard-pressed to find somebody better," Auriemma added of Chen.

Chen ended up getting selected by the Golden State Valkyries with the No. 30 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. She was then cut right before the regular season began, but was re-signed by Golden State on June 15.

Now Chen is set to make her WNBA regular season debut against the Dallas Wings (and her former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers) on June 17. And Auriemma sent a strong message about Chen's WNBA standing during a June 16 interview.

"Let me tell you something: that's like the biggest surprise team in the WNBA," Auriemma said of the Valkyries when asked about Chen re-signing with them, per The UConn Daily YouTube account. "An expansion team having a better record than almost half the league, right? So they're doing a great job out there."

After conveying that he'll be going to Tuesday's game between Golden State and Dallas, Auriemma said, "[Chen] deserves to be in the league. Her competitiveness, and her drive, she deserves to be in the league. She deserves to to be playing in professional basketball. So I'm thrilled for her."

Fans can surely expect some wholesome moments between Bueckers, Chen, and Auriemma on Tuesday evening.

Recommended Reading:

Published
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.

Share on XFollow GrvntYoung
Home/News