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UConn Fans Lament Kaitlyn Chen Getting Cut From Valkyries

Former Golden State Valkyries rookie Kaitlyn Chen getting cut has UConn fans upset.
Grant Young|
May 6, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen (2) before the game against the Los Angeles Sparks at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
May 6, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen (2) before the game against the Los Angeles Sparks at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Paige Bueckers wasn't the only former UConn Huskies women's basketball player to be selected in the 2025 WNBA Draft. While she got the most attention by far (and rightfully so, given she was the draft's top pick), fellow Huskies Kaitlyn Chen and Aubrey Griffin also got drafted.

It's incredibly difficult for all rookies to make their WNBA team's regular season roster. This is especially the case for any players who were taken past the first round. Therefore, it was clear that Chen (whom the Golden State Valkyries drafted at No. 30 overall) faced an uphill battle to earn a roster spot.

But UConn fans had hope after Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase praised Chen on May 6 by saying, "I just think [Kaitlyn] is so loved from the basketball world in general. Kaitlyn, she just leaves everything out on the floor... [She's] someone you can trust, but at the same time, you could see she’s fearless."

Alas, this sentiment didn't keep Chen on the Valkyries, as it was announced on May 14 that she had been waived and didn't make the team's regular season roster.

UConn fans are in their feelings about this, which they're making apparent on social media.

"kaitlyn chen waived i no longer like that purple team anymore," one fan wrote.

Another fan added, "Sorry to hear this. I thought she had a decent shot, and still think she may land somewhere."

"biggest mistake of your lives," added a third.

Perhaps Chen will be able to land on her feet with another WNBA team at some point.

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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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