Is Kaitlyn Chen going to the WNBA? Taking a closer look at UConn guard's draft eligibility in 2025

Kaitlyn Chen joined the UConn Huskies this past season after spending three seasons with the Princeton Tigers. In her final season of eligibility, Chen helped the Huskies win a national championship.

While Chen did not have as big of a role at UConn as she did at Princeton, because of the Huskies' star power, she stepped up in some big games.

Notably, Chen had an excellent performance in a close game against USC in the Elite Eight, putting up 15 points. Now that the season is over, Chen has her sights set on the WNBA draft.

Is Kaitlyn Chen going to the WNBA?

Yes, Kaitlyn Chen is expected to enter the WNBA. Although she has not officially declared that she is entering the draft, she does not have any years of eligibility left in the NCAA. As a result, the next natural step for her is to enter the WNBA draft to continue her basketball career.

Chen has an interesting draft profile because she showed she could be a star scorer while playing for Princeton in her first three seasons. She had one of the most successful careers in the history of the women's Princeton Tigers basketball program.

Chen then joined the Huskies and showed she could play a smaller role on a championship-caliber team. Although she did not get as much playing time, she showed her versatility and stepped up in big moments.

If she is selected in the 2025 WNBA draft, she will be the first Princeton player to be selected since Abby Meyers in 2022.

When is the 2025 WNBA draft?

There is not much turnaround time from the end of March Madness to the WNBA draft. The championship game was played on Sunday and the WNBA draft will take place just over a week later, on Monday, April 14.

The WNBA draft has three rounds, and UConn star Paige Bueckers is expected to be the first pick. For Kaitlyn Chen, her draft status is much less clear. Although she showed her versatility at UConn, she did not have a starring role. As a result, she is not expected to be a first-round pick.

She could certainly be selected in the second or third round, but that is not a guarantee. She is viewed as a borderline pick and might need to go to a WNBA team as an undrafted free agent.