"Hard launch": Kaitlyn Chen can’t help but joke as Paige Bueckers shares wholesome ‘dubski’ moment with Valkyries guard

On Tuesday night, Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings found themselves in Commissioner's Cup action against the Golden State Valkyries. Following the action, the No. 1 pick had some fun online with a familiar face.

In this game, Bueckers had the opportunity to take on one of her old college teammates in Kaitlyn Chen. The two won a national championship together at UConn last season after the latter transferred from Princeton. Now, they find themselves as opponents in the WNBA.

Despite being on opposing teams now, it's still all love between Paige Bueckers and Chen. The Wings guard posted a series of photos from their win on Tuesday, one of which featured her and her former teammate. Chen jokingly commented on her photo with Bueckers, saying they were "hard launching" as a couple.

Bueckers shined in the Wings' 80-71 win over the Valkyries to secure Dallas' second victory of the season. In 38 minutes, she posted a stat line of 20 points, four rebounds and two assists on 50% shooting. This outing marked the third time Bueckers broke the 20-point mark through her first nine career games.

As for Chen, her only interaction with Bueckers came after the game. The third-round pick did not see the floor in Tuesday's matchup as she is still fighting to earn playing time with Golden State.

Kaitlyn Chen pokes fun at Paige Bueckers after WNBA matchup

Even though Kaitlyn Chen and the Golden State Valkyries didn't come out on top, she still found a way to get back at Paige Bueckers. Following the action, she took to social media with a joking jab at the touted prospect.

As mentioned previously, Tuesday's game marked just the second time the Wings have gotten in the win column this year. Chen used this as motivation to poke fun at Bueckers. She reposted the photo of the two of them on her Instagram story, stating that Bueckers can only win when she's around.

Though their time together was brief, Chen and Paige Bueckers managed to have great success together. Upon coming over from Princeton, Chen instantly stepped into a starting role at UConn last year. In her lone season with the program, she averaged 6.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals. Chen's all-around play proved to be an ideal complement to Bueckers, as UConn managed to go on and secure a national championship.

Now in the pros, Bueckers and Chen are on two very different journies in the NBA. Nonetheless, the two maintain a strong friendship.

About the author

Kevin McCormick is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in journalism and a bachelor's degree in Sports Management Marketing from Holy Family University.

Kevin has worked with various notable outlets throughout his career, including 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, Heavy Sports, and Sports Illustrated/FanNation, before joining Sportskeeda in March 2022.

Specializing in NBA and WNBA coverage, Kevin's passion for basketball stems from his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Among his favorite players are Kevin Durant, Chet Holmgren, and Steph Curry, while his all-time favorites include Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Kevin holds Coach K in high regard for the large input he's had on the game helping mold players across multiple generations. Kevin believes the iconic rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson helped elevate the league to its current status.

Through his writing, Kevin provides in-depth analysis and insights into player and coach quotes. He prioritizes sourcing information from credible and reliable outlets.

Kevin enjoys reading, aiming to finish at least one book per month, and he is a big fan of music.

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Edited by Kevin McCormick