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Valkyries Coach Sends Strong Message About 'Fearless' Kaitlyn Chen

Former UConn Huskies standout Kaitlyn Chen received a strong compliment from her Golden State Valkyries head coach.
Grant Young|
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Kaitlyn Chen (20) dribbles against the UCLA Bruins during the fourth quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Kaitlyn Chen (20) dribbles against the UCLA Bruins during the fourth quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

With the No. 30 pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft, the Golden State Valkyries selected former UConn Huskies guard Kaitlyn Chen.

Chen transferred to UConn after spending the first three seasons of her NCAA career at UConn and immediately became a fan favorite due to her ability to command the court and allow Paige Bueckers to play more off-ball. This, combined with her infectious personality, made Chen a valuable aspect of UConn winning the 2025 national championship.

And now Chen has a huge fan base who wants to see her succeed with the Valkyries. During the franchise's first-ever game on May 6, Chen (who became the first person of Taiwanese descent to play in a WNBA game) played 8 minutes and scored 2 points.

After the game, Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase sent a powerful message about Chen.

"I just think [Kaitlyn] is so loved from the basketball world in general. Kaitlyn, she just leaves everything out on the floor," Nakase said, per an X post from Kenzo Fukuda of ClutchPoints. "She'll look at me, and be like 'What do you want to run?' And I was like, 'Well, what do you want to run?'

"[She's] someone you can trust, but at the same time, you could see she’s fearless," Nakase continued of Chen.

It will be interesting to see whether Chen ends up making the Valkyries' roster, as there will be stiff competition among players to make the team's final 12 spots before the season begins.

What's for sure is that Chen's big fan base will make for a tough decision to let her go.

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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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