UConn standout KK Arnold reacts as former teammate Kaitlyn Chen makes history in WNBA preseason debut
When Kaitlyn Chen lifted the national championship with UConn, she became the first Taiwanese-American to do so. The dynamic guard then transitioned to the WNBA. She was picked 30th overall by the Golden State Valkyries in the third round of the draft.
Chen made history once again after she scored her first points on Sunday in a preseason game against the LA Sparks. It made her the first Taiwanese-origin player to do so in the big league. She got off the mark after Julie Vanloo stole the ball and passed it to her for a contested fastbreak layup.
KK Arnold, who was tuned into Chen's debut, dedicated a story to her former UConn teammate.
"TURN ME UP 2," she wrote while posting an image from the live broadcast.
Chen saw eight minutes of action in her debut, which she utilized to score two points and grab three rebounds. Despite trailing by double digits at the half, the Golden State Valkyries came through in the succeeding stretches. They tied the game (57-57) early in the fourth quarter. However, the Sparks clicked on all levels and led the majority of the final minutes for an 83-82 win.
Kaitlyn Chen spent a season at UConn under Geno Auriemma and paired with star guard Paige Bueckers.
She was pursued by Auriemma due to her decorated Ivy League resume, which consisted of a Player of the Year award, multiple first-team selections, and three conference tournament Most Outstanding Player awards.
Geno Auriemma represented UConn at the New York Stock Exchange
Geno Auriemma was accompanied by UConn president Radenka Maric at the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. They had the honor of ringing the opening bell in light of the Huskies' 12th national championship win. They rang the bell at 9:30 a.m. ET, garnering cheers and applause from the crowd at the venue.
Auriemma previously rang the closing bell at the NYSE after the UConn Huskies won the 2014 national title.