Valkyries' Kaitlyn Chen brings ‘competitive edge' in her second chance with team
ARLINGTON, Texas — Kaitlyn Chen spent most of the past month in her hometown of Los Angeles, watching Golden State Valkyries games and waiting for a call. After being waived at the end of training camp, the team told her she might get another shot in the near future.
Impressed by her high basketball IQ and tenacious defense, head coach Natalie Nakase knew that the third-round pick out of UConn would be one of her top choices to reinforce the roster when players left for EuroBasket. Chen is quickly validating that belief after rejoining the team this week.
'She showed such a competitive edge,' Nakase said on Tuesday. 'She remembered everything from camp, which is funny, because obviously we've tweaked a couple of things, so it's good that I could just show her things, or just talk about things on the fly, and she can pick things up just like that.'
Chen, along with forward Chloe Bibby, are helping fill the void while four Valkyries participate in EuroBasket. They are the third and fourth new players to arrive in the past week-plus after forward Laeticia Amihere — who like Chen was on the Valkyries' preseason roster — and guard Aerial Powers.
Golden State entered Tuesday's game in Dallas on a three-game winning streak after defeating Seattle at home on Saturday. They were without point guard Julie Vanloo (Belgium) and forwards Cecilia Zandalasini (Italy) and Janelle Salaün (France) in that victory. Starting center Temi Fagbenle (United Kingdom) left right before the team headed to Texas to face the Wings.
Her departure meant Tuesday's game would feature the seventh unique starting lineup in 11 contests. The extra roster space allowed the Valkyries to give Chen another chance to make her WNBA debut.
Chen, who was coming off a national title with the Huskies a week before she was drafted by Golden State, quickly became a fan favorite. Her jersey was the sixth best-selling in the WNBA, and her shirt is still sold in the Valkyries team store. Chen appeared in both preseason games for the Valkyries.
The 23-year-old also participated in several Valkyries promotions during the preseason, leading to fan backlash after she got cut. Some social media users accused the Valkyries of 'using' Chen's popularity for sales despite not keeping her on the roster.
Chen, the first Taiwanese American drafted into the WNBA, understood the process. Just two third-rounders made teams this year. She signed with the FIBA 3-on-3 league, 3XBA, in early June but remained hopeful for another stint in the WNBA.
'I'm just really grateful for the opportunity to be back here,' she said at Tuesday's shoot-around. 'I thought the experience I had at camp was great. I feel like I learned a lot there, and I feel like that helped prepare me for coming back and playing in the WNBA.'
Tuesday was also a reunion for Chen and her Huskies teammate, Paige Bueckers, who was this year's first overall pick to Dallas. The duo worked together in the backcourt to lead UConn to its first national championship since 2016. Chen said she spoke with Bueckers before joining the Valkyries on the way to Dallas. She and other members of the 2024-25 Huskies also attended a Dallas game in Connecticut on May 27.
'Paige is such a great friend,' Chen said. 'She's someone that I can always count on, and someone that I know is always going to be there for me.'
Said Bueckers on Tuesday: 'It feels just like yesterday that we were playing together and suiting up together on this in the same end. So it'll be weird, it'll be different, but I'm extremely happy for her to get this opportunity, it'll be good for her. Being here now it's like full circle.'
little Kaitlyn Paige moment pregame
[image or embed]
— Marisa Ingemi (@mingemi.bsky.social) June 17, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma told reporters in Connecticut on Monday that Chen is the 'kind of player that every really, really good team has.'
'She deserves to be in the league,' he said. 'She deserves to be playing professional basketball. So I'm thrilled for her.'
Chen will likely be the last player off the bench for a Valkyries team that started two point guards, Veronica Burton and Carla Leite, against Seattle. Kate Martin and Powers are ahead of her on the depth chart.
She should get at least a couple of weeks to make an impact and prove she does belong in the WNBA, even if it's not with Golden State long term. All four signees are on contracts for the rest of the season but can be released when EuroBasket players return, or at any point.
The Valkyries 'have looked so good,' Chen said. 'They play really well together. They're super unselfish, and I feel like that's the best way to play, that's what I try to do as a player, I feel like I'm pretty unselfish and always looking for what's best for the team, so I think that's why I'm back here.'
Hayes on the mend: Guard Tiffany Hayes has warmed up for every Valkyries game over the past two weeks, even though she knew she wouldn't play in them due to a nose injury. Since being a game-time decision against Minnesota on June 1, she has been listed as out before game day even rolls around.
Nakase said that Hayes told her she was closer to being ready before the team departed for Dallas, upgrading her to questionable status.
'We've had her do a lot of scrimmaging,' Nakase said. 'Just putting her in some actions to make her feel comfortable, and she said she felt ready (for games). It's really been up to her.'
The veteran guard hasn't played after getting hit in the face in that Lynx contest at the start of the month. That was her first game back from an initial nose injury suffered on May 21 against Washington.
'I've had to stay mentally focused,' Hayes said on Tuesday. 'I'm meditating, leaning into people who give me the energy I need. But it's fun to watch this team and the grit and grind they put into every game.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kahleah Copper gives Mercury teammates their flowers after breaking 3-point record
The post Kahleah Copper gives Mercury teammates their flowers after breaking 3-point record appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Phoenix Mercury capped off their road trip with a fourth win in four games. In Kahleah Copper's third game back, she wasn't the lone star. It was everyone. Advertisement In the 107-86 win over the Chicago Sky, Copper herself had 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists. Meanwhile, her Mercury teammates had five more players post in double figures for points. Late in the fourth quarter, center Kalani Brown hit the team's 17th 3-pointer to give the Mercury a new franchise record. As the bench shouted with jubilation, Copper praised her teammates for making history in Chi-town. 'Just a shoutout to my teammates for hitting shots, hitting open shots, hitting contested shots, our post players stepping up. Lani (Brown) got a big one,' Copper said. 'Just a credit to the work that we put in every single day, and then just trusting the process and division, and what the Phoenix Mercury wants to be. And then for this team, a four-game winning streak (to cap off) this kind of hellacious road trip.' Advertisement Saturday's primetime game was one of the few chances this season that the Big 3 have all been on the floor together: Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas joined Copper on the floor. The chemistry, off-ball movement, and picking of their spots were exceptional. They also picked apart Chicago's defense and took advantage of defensive lapses, leading to open triples. The ongoing barrage of treys led to a historic afternoon, and one that put the WNBA world on notice. Kahleah Copper's teammates thought highly of Mercury record © Matt Marton-Imagn Images A 3-point specialist in Sami Whitcomb was a major factor in the historic game. She hit five triples of her own and registered 17 points. Although she had been shooting the ball a bit poorly to start the year, since the road trip, Whitcomb has risen to the occassion. Advertisement The Mercury Big 3 have provided much more space on the floor. Still, the Australian guard is launching shots from well beyond the arc. As a result, her point production has been huge off the bench. Much like Copper, Whitcomb gave praise to the organziation and her teammates for an impressive performance. 'We have a lot of fantastic shooters. I think some as specialists, but I think even players that you may not think of as 3-point shooters. Kalani (Brown), she's a super capable 3-point shooter. 'Everywhere we have that in our spacing, and the players that we have … AT, Satou, and Kah, who can get downhill and are such willing passers, just make it really easy for all of us.' Mercury endured a grueling road trip Within these four games, the team played a back-to-back set in Connecticut and New York. When playing on Wednesday, it was Thomas's emotional return to Connecticut. Advertisement Nearly 24 hours after, they played the best team in the Eastern Conference. However, a Kahleah Copper-less Phoenix team took down the New York Liberty, 89-81. It shocked many, but not the Mercury. Finally, on Saturday, they landed the coup de grâce on an undefeated road trip. A dominant primetime win had head coach Nate Tibbetts excited, but not pleased. Even with the influx of games, Tibbetts joked about using his NBA experience in the former D-League (now G League) as a way to work through multiple games in consecutive nights. Still, he credited one thing, as he has all season for what helped the team endure the tough stretch. 'When you played games back-to-back-to-back and two games and three nights, and just trying to set the tone with your defense,' Tibbetts said. 'I knew that we were going to be tired and a little bit fatigued, but we wanted to try to wake up our bodies … but just to try to get us going. Advertisement 'That was something that was used years ago, that I've always kind of liked and stole from some really good coaches that I got to see at a young age. And our team has bought into that. 'They like being aggressive.' Related: Why Kahleah Copper is comparing Mercury to Sky championship team Related: Sami Whitcomb's off-the-bench record powers Mercury past Sky
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Caitlin Clark leads WNBA first returns All-Star voting
After a record-setting rookie season for the Indiana Fever and an impressive start to her 2025 campaign, the WNBA revealed its first return on voting for the 2025 AT&T All-Star Game on Friday, with guard Caitlin Clark leading all players with 515,993 votes. Clark, who missed five games with a left quadriceps strain, averages 19.9 points on 41.7% shooting from the field, 35.5% from 3-point territory, and 79.4% from the free throw line in seven games played so far. Advertisement While the former Hawkeye had an off-performance Thursday night against the Golden State Valkyries, Clark continues to be a driving force behind the Fever's success and the league's television viewership numbers. Just behind Clark atop the first round of All-Star voting is Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (484,758 votes), followed by fellow Fever forward Aliyah Boston (446,961 votes), Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (394,600 votes), and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (367,819 votes) rounding out the top five. Beyond the top five, fellow Fever teammates Kelsey Mitchell (No. 7; 277,664 votes) and Lexie Hull (No. 9; 217,438 votes) also accompany Clark in the group of top-voted players. Advertisement Regarding what makes up the voting numbers, fans account for 50%, while all current players and a media panel will account for 25% each. The fan voting portion of balloting ends Saturday, June 28, at 10:59 p.m. CT. With this year's WNBA All-Star game taking place from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on Saturday, July 19, Clark's overwhelming first-place votes are not surprising, considering her iconic global reputation and outstanding on-court performance. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Caitlin Clark leads WNBA first returns All-Star voting
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Caitlin Clark grateful for WNBA All-Star Game fan voting support
The WNBA revealed on Friday that Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark leads the league in the first returns of WNBA All-Star Game fan voting. Fever teammates Aliyah Boston (No. 3), Kelsey Mitchell (No. 7) and Lexie Hull (No. 9) join Clark inside the top 10 of the initial fan voting returns. Advertisement While Clark was clear it's not she and the Fever's end goal, Indiana's star guard shared her appreciation for the fan voting that she and her teammates have already received. "I mean, it is what it is, you know. People get so hyped up over that, but, you know, that's not why you play the game. I think it's a fun way to get the fans involved and really passionate about All-Star. It gets them excited. Makes them feel involved. It's a fun aspect to have, but you know, for us as players, that's not the reason you play, and it's really only 50% of the vote. "But it is cool, and it's also cool for me to see how much love my teammates also get. I think we have four in the top 10, so… You know, whether who ends up being an All-Star or not, it's still cool to see the type of love that you get from the fans," Clark said. The voting numbers' makeup is as follows: Fans account for 50%, while all current players and a media panel will account for 25% each. Advertisement Through her seven games played this season, Clark averages 19.9 points, 8.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game on 41.7% shooting from the field, 35.5% from 3-point territory and 79.4% from the free throw line. It looks like the WNBA could be pacing for record fan voting numbers, which Clark is excited to see. "It seems like it's certainly going to set some sort of record for the amount of votes cast compared to last year, if I'm not mistaken. I feel like we're on track for that, which just shows how much engagement we're driving across the league for all different sorts of players and teams. "And, you know, that's exactly what the league needs, is people are excited about that type of stuff and wanting to be involved, feeling like their vote really counts, and feeling like they can make an impact on All-Star Games. So, it's really exciting to see, and hopefully as we continue to grow here year after year after year," Clark said. Advertisement Per the WNBA's website, the fan voting window will close on Saturday, June 28, at 10:59 p.m. CT. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews. This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Caitlin Clark grateful for WNBA All-Star Game fan voting support
