Paige Bueckers, Geno Auriemma Share Sweet Moment After Wings-Valkyries Game

Paige got to play against her UConn teammate Kaitlyn Chen, too.
University of Connecticut head coach Auriemma speaks with Dallas Wings guard Bueckers after the game against the Golden State Valkyries at College Park Center.
University of Connecticut head coach Auriemma speaks with Dallas Wings guard Bueckers after the game against the Golden State Valkyries at College Park Center. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

UConn Huskies women's basketball head coach Geno Auriemma made his way to Texas Tuesday night to watch two of his former players take the court against one another. Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 pick in this year's WNBA draft by the Dallas Wings, were slated to take on the Golden State Valkyries on the final night of Commissioner's Cup play.

The Valkyries signed Kaitlyn Chen, Bueckers's teammate last year at UConn, to a contract Sunday after they drafted her in the third round with the No. 30 pick in April.

After the game, a small UConn reunion took place on the court in Dallas. Bueckers and Chen shared a moment, then Bueckers and Auriemma shared a hug along with a quick chat before they posed for a photo in between jokes.

Auriemma coached Bueckers, Chen and the rest of the Huskies to a NCAA title this year after a triumphant run through March Madness that culminated in Bueckers's first championship in her last chance.

Now one of the WNBA's young stars, Bueckers led the Wings with 20 points Tuesday as they recorded their second win of the season with a 80-71 win over the Valkyries. Dallas is a lackluster 2-11 on the season thus far in year one of the Bueckers era.


More WNBA on Sports Illustrated

feed


Published
Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.