'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUG/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgT/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMHIBV//xAAiEAABAgUEAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwUCBBETIgAGEhQHMkL/2gAIAQEAAT8AkNqNabNsQKyJUdZ1xVvJCMHmncKeZI40rBpx8YJlwmei8odS7FZxU9K4/Ov/xAAWEQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVH/2gAIAQIBAT8AVP/EABcRAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAjH/2gAIAQMBAT8AqVh//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Kaitlyn Chen, Paige Bueckers' former UConn Huskies teammate and the first Taiwanese WNBA player, reacted to the Dallas Wings rookie winning the Honda Sport Award for basketball.
On Monday, Chen reshared on her Instagram story the UConn Women's Basketball IG post announcing Bueckers won the award given by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA).
"Nice PP!" Chen wrote.
Trending
According to the CWSA website, the Honda Sport Award is given to the "best of the best in collegiate athletics." The award, which was created in 1976, recognizes the top female athletes in the 12 NCAA sports annually. Former Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark has won the award the previous two years.
Chen played for three years at Princeton before transferring to UConn for her graduate season. She played a key role in the Paige Bueckers-led team that won the NCAA championship on April 6.
The Golden State Valkyries selected Chen with the 30th pick. She became the first player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted. Chen was also one of three Huskies selected in the 2025 WNBA draft; Bueckers was No. 1 and the Minnesota Lynx picked Aubrey Griffin at No. 37.
Paige Bueckers' reaction was captured after hearing Kaitlyn Chen got drafted
Paige Bueckers advocated for Kaitlyn Chen and Aubrey Griffin in the rookie's first interview immediately following being called at the 2025 WNBA draft on April 14.
"I think two teams or one team will be genius to add Kaitlyn Chen, Aubrey Griffin to the team. I think they should get drafted tonight," Bueckers said. "I just love them so much. They're gonna be my sisters for life."
Several picks later, Chen was picked in the third round. Bueckers was on the "orange carpet" signing autographs and was ecstatic as she heard the pick. On April 15, DraftKings, quoting ESPNW and the Dallas Wings, shared the separate reactions of Bueckers and the Huskies players at the venue on X.
"Kaitlyn Chen? Let's go," Bueckers said.
Paige Bueckers' Wings open the 2025 WNBA season against the Minnesota Lynx on May 16 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
