Three UConn women’s basketball players are heading into the WNBA after the draft on Monday night.
UConn standout Paige Bueckers became the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Wings.
Kaitlyn Chen and Aubrey Griffin came to the draft to support their teammate and both were surprised to hear their name called in the third round as Chen was drafted by Golden State and Griffith by Minnesota.
The pair shared a moment upstairs in the media room with coach Geno Auriemma.
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“How bout that! What a great night,” he said to his players.
What to know about Kaitlyn Chen
Chen, a guard from San Marino, California, transferred to UConn for the 2024-25 season after spending four seasons at Princeton and she started all 40 games for the Huskies this season.
Dog House
She was the 2023 Ivy League Player of the Year, a two-time First Team All-Ivy selection and a 2024 WBCA Honorable Mention All-American, according to UConn.
Chen graduated from Princeton in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and she will graduate with a master’s degree in sport management from UConn in May.
What to know about Aubrey Griffin
Griffin, a redshirt senior from Ossining, New York, played for five seasons at UConn.
She was a 2023 All-Big East Honorable Mention selection.
Griffin graduated with a bachelor's degree in women's studies from UConn in 2023.
Griffin tied Rebecca Lobo's record for most consecutive made field goals in a game - 11-for-11, vs. Princeton, Dec. 8, 2022, according to the her UConn bio.
What to know about Paige Bueckers
The 5-foot-11 guard from Hopkins, Minnesota, is considered a generational player.
Bueckers averaged 20.0 points and shot 42.4% from behind the 3-point line this season. Bueckers was one of the most efficient players in college basketball playing 38 games this season for the national champion Huskies and 123 in her career.
Bueckers became the sixth number one pick overall in the WNBA draft for coach Auriemma, joining a talented list that includes Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart.
She will pair with Arike Ogunbowale in the Wings’ backcourt. Bueckers was the 2021 AP player of the year and a three-time AP All-American.
