IN PICS: UConn star KK Arnold feels "blessed" as she shares adorable snaps on her special day

KK Arnold is in high spirits as she celebrates her 20th birthday. The UConn star shared three adorable snaps from her childhood as well as a recent photo of herself in her Huskies uniform on Instagram on Friday.

"Blessed🥹🩷 #20," Arnold's Instagram caption read.

Arnold has a lot to feel blessed about on her big day. She is coming off of a successful sophomore campaign at UConn during which she helped lead the Huskies to a national title.

As a freshman, Arnold was a starter for UConn, but she proved her value as a role player off the bench this season. The guard appeared in all 40 games, averaging 21.2 minutes on the court.

NCAA Womens Basketball: Final Four National Championship - Source: Imagn

Arnold contributed on both sides of the ball and averaged 5.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game. She shot 47.4% and knocked down 71.0% of her free throws.

The guard was an essential piece to UConn's postseason success and can now celebrate her 20th birthday as a national champion.

KK Arnold discusses former UConn stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier finding Unrivaled

Arnold is aware of the impact UConn alumni have on the basketball world. The star guard discussed fellow Huskies Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier finding Unrivaled on Wednesday's episode of "Barrier Breakers."

"It was super cool," Arnold said (Timestamp: 16:18). "Also, just another opportunity for players to just stay in one place and get better where they are. The Unrivaled League was in Miami, so I feel like everybody got an opportunity to settle in, learn from each other."

Unrivaled is a 3-on-3 basketball league that features 36 of the WNBA's top players, including Stewart and Collier. The league is coming off of its inaugural season, which was eight weeks long and took place at a custom-built facility in Miami.

Stewart and Collier both found success with Unrivaled, with Stewart scoring the first basketball in league history and Collier being named the inaugural MVP. Fellow UConn star Paige Bueckers is an investor in the league and is expected to play next season.

Unrivaled highlights what former Huskies can accomplish and also how women's basketball is continously growing. Arnold has two more seasons at UConn before she starts to consider her professional future, but based on her links to Stewart and Collier and her comments about the league, fans could possibly anticipate the guard signing a contract with Unrivaled in a few years.

About the author

Lindsey Ware is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over five years of experience working with publications such as The News & Observer, The Daily Tar Heel, Triangle Tribune and Cardiac Cane. She has also worked for Major League Baseball, The Holly Springs Salamanders, The Tri-City Chili Peppers, Tuffy Talk, Super Meteors Basketball, Just Good Network and Living Sport.

Lindsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. Her education allowed Lindsey to gain experience in sports communication, which she honed in internships. Other than being a storyteller and sports fanatic, Lindsey is also a social media and marketing specialist.

Her favorite college team is UNC, although she grew up a N.C. State fan as both of her parents are Wolfpack alumni. Michael Jordan was a huge deal in North Carolina when Lindsey was growing up, and after a summer spent at UNC’s Sports Journalism Camp back in high school, Lindsey was set on being a Tar Heel.

Lindsey's favorite college coach of all time is Roy Williams. During her time attending UNC Chapel Hill and writing for The Daily Tar Heel, Lindsey was lucky enough to meet and speak with Williams a few times. He was like a celebrity on UNC’s campus and was beloved for his coaching style and success with the Tar Heels, accumulating three NCAA championship titles in 18 years.

When not watching or writing about sports, Lindsey enjoys reading, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with my friends, family and dog. She also likes to journal, watch movies and paint.

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Edited by Rajdeep Barman