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The WNBA is no stranger to UConn alumni with 14 former Huskies currently playing in the league. In total, the UConn women’s basketball program has drafted 50 players into the league, the most of any college program. This season, the former Huskies have dominated, stumbled and shifted in the league.
The season started off strong with former Husky Paige Bueckers getting drafted No. 1 to the Dallas Wings. This made Bueckers the sixth Husky to get drafted first overall. Bueckers has had a historic rookie season with the Wings. She has averaged 18.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game. These stats put her in fifth for points, seventh for assists and ninth in efficiency in the league. She is also ranked fourth in minutes per game, averaging 33.5 minutes. She was also the only rookie named as a starter for the WNBA All-Star Game. Bueckers recently made history by breaking the league rookie scoring record against the Los Angeles Sparks where she scored 44 points. This made it her 29th game of scoring in the double digits, the most double-digit scoring game in a rookie season. She also became the first player in league history to score over 40 points while shooting at least 80% from the field. Despite Bueckers dominance on the court, the Dallas Wings have struggled, falling to a 9-32 record.
WNBA veteran Napheesa Collier, who graduated from UConn in 2019, has continued to be a dominant force on the court ever since. She has averaged 23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals. These stats put her first for total points, ninth for rebounds and fourth for steals per game. Collier was named All-Star captain this season and broke the All-Star Game scoring record. Collier formed a Husky packed team for the All-Start Game as captain, including Bueckers and Breanna Stewart. Collier recently had a stumble in the season due to an ankle injury that caused her to miss seven games, but she came back stronger and scored 32 points. Collier’s impressive skill set has made her a front runner for MVP of the league this season. She has also been an asset in the Minnesota Lynx’s impressive 32-8 record.
Stewart, a 2016 UConn graduate, has proven to be an asset for New York Liberty. Stewart came into the season with confidence after her essential role in Liberty’s championship last season. She has averaged 18 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game. These stats put her in seventh for efficiency. The Liberty started the season off with a strong 9-0 but have since struggled, partly due to Stewart missing 13 games with a right knee bone bruise. Even though Stewart’s stats for the season are lower than prior seasons, her dominant return against the Connecticut Sun, where she scored 19 points, displayed her importance to the team.
UConn 2024 graduate Aaliyah Edwards has made a move this season by joining other former Huskies on the Connecticut Sun. Edwards previously played for the Washington Mystics but was traded to the Connecticut Sun in early August. She was traded after her role on the Mystics declined after facing a back contusion in training camp. Edwards joined three former Huskies on the team: Tina Charles, a 2010 graduate; Bria Harley, a 2014 graduate; and Olivia Nelson-Ododa, a 2022 graduate. Nelson-Ododa previously played with Edwards and formed a formidable frontcourt for the Huskies, which the Sun may look to replicate.
UConn 2025 graduate Kaitlyn Chen has also made her WNBA debut. She was initially drafted by the Golden State Valkyries, but was waived days before the official season started. Chen was brought back on to the Valkyries in June, signing an emergency hardship contract due to players leaving for the FIBA EuroBasket tournament. Chen came back to the WNBA in a game against Dallas that included Bueckers, her former teammate.
These former Huskies have all continued to dominate in the WNBA despite some challenges along the way. The rest of the season will continue to provide matchups against former Huskies.
