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Geno Auriemma praises former UConn player amid Valkyries’ ‘surprise’ hot start
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- Geno Auriemma praises former UConn player amid Valkyries’ ‘surprise’ hot start
The post Geno Auriemma praises former UConn player amid Valkyries' 'surprise' hot start appeared first on ClutchPoints .
No college basketball coach has more alumni in the WNBA than UConn's Geno Auriemma , who is always rooting for his players' success. After the Golden State Valkyries re-signed rookie guard Kaitlyn Chen , Auriemma heaped praise on the organization and his former pupil.
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Auriemma said Chen deserves to be in the league when asked about her at a charity golf tournament. Coming off UConn's first national title since 2016, the 71-year-old coach called the Valkyries' 5-5 start the "biggest surprise" in the WNBA.
"[The Valkyries] are the biggest surprise team in the WNBA," Auriemma said. "An expansion team having a better record than almost half the league… [Kaitlyn Chen] deserves to be in the league. Her competitiveness and her drive, she deserves it. I'm thrilled for her."
The Valkyries initially took Chen with their third and final pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft. However, despite the positive fan reaction to the selection, the team released Chen during its final roster cuts. One month later, Golden State announced it would bring her back ahead of its Tuesday night matchup against the Dallas Wings .
Auriemma noted that he will be present for Chen's WNBA debut, saying he would be in Dallas for another event and would stop by for the Wings' home game against the Valkyries. He will have a chance to watch two of his three rookies play in the game, with Paige Bueckers leading Dallas into the contest.
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Kaitlyn Chen to make Valkyries debut against Wings
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
As the Valkyries announced the signings of Chen and veteran guard Chloe Bibby , they confirmed both players will be available against the Wings. Both played for Golden State in the preseason, with Bibby averaging 5.0 points and Chen posting 1.5 points in two games.
The signings temporarily fill the Valkyries' roster, as four key players are currently away from the team and competing in the 2025 EuroBasket. Julie Vanloo , Janelle Salaun, Temi Fagbenle and Courtney Zandalasini remain back in Europe for the next few games. Of them, Fagbenle's absence figures to hurt the most as the team's starting center and biggest paint presence.
Given the absences, the Valkyries enter the matchup as underdogs, despite the Wings' 1-11 record. Dallas has not won since topping the Connecticut Sun on May 27.
