Former UConn Huskies guard, Kaitlyn Chen is riding a success wave this year. From winning the national championship title in the 2025 March Madness to entering the 2025 WNBA draft as the 30th overall pick by Golden State Valkyries, Chen has been creating waves through her presence in professional basketball, too.

In fact, Chen even surpassed her college teammate, Paige Bueckers, in this year’s jersey sales. She is currently leading the WNBA store with one of the highest-selling jerseys! A big feat at that!

However, in a drastic turn of events, the promising guard’s rookie year in the W has come to a staggering halt. Yes, you read that right. Kaitlyn has now been waived off by the Valkyries, just hours before the regular season commences. In the wake of this recent news, let us take a look at Kaitlyn’s net worth, contract details, and salary breakdown with the Valkyries.

What is Kaitlyn Chen’s net worth?

While there is no publicly available information that verifies Kaitlyn Chen’s net worth, what we do know is that the point guard signed a three year contract with the Golden State Valkyries. As a newly inducted draftee, her temporary contract worth $204,253 went unprotected in the WNBA. Given her current situation in the pros, Chen’s deal with the team stands voided.

Kaitlyn Chen’s Contract Breakdown

Kaitlyn Chen signed a lucrative 3 year deal worth $204,253 with the Golden State Valkyries. The contact also promised an estimated annual salary of $68,084. Unless Chen makes it to the team’s final roster, this temporary contract is not protected under the WNBA or the Valkyries. Now, with Chen being waived off, this contract stands null and void. While she has parted ways with the newly inducted pro team, the free agent can now be signed by any other team in the league for the next 48 hours.

What is Kaitlyn Chen’s salary?

According to Spotrac website, Chen would earn a base salary worth $66,079 during her rookie year with the Valkyries. While the cap hit on the first year has not been disclosed, this amount will increase to $67,401 in 2026. Moreover, once Chen enters the final year of her contract with the Valkyries in 2027, she will be earning a whopping amount of $70,773 with a cap hit of the same amount, thereby totalling the cash cumulative to $204,253 for all three years.

However, if the team decides to extend her contract, Chen can enter the Valkyries roster through a one-year deal in 2028. Here, she is expected to make $80,883. But if they decide not to exercise this right, Chen will become a restricted free agent under the team and then it will be the team’s decision on whether to keep her or sign her off to another pro team. But now that the draftee has been waived off, Chen’s contract has been voided. She will only earn according to the time she spent in the pro team’s roster.

Why were Kaitlyn Chen’s contracts waived?

Kaitlyn’s contract with the Valkyries was waived off citing the league’s procedure where each team is required to make roster cuts once the training camp comes to a close. With approximately 17 players on the Valkyries’ roster, the team is expected to announce their final 12-player roster by May 16, 2025.

Besides, Chen wasn’t the only player to be waived off by the Valkyries. Natalie Nakase also decided to part ways with 17th overall pick, Shyanne Sellers. And needless to say, this waive off did not sit well with the fans. The media uproar regarding Nakase’s justification on the waive off only snowballed. Meanwhile, Sellers’ father had to step into the picture to put an end to the drama. As a newly introduced team that is looking towards their first-ever regular season, these brutal waive offs come as a shock.

On the other hand, Chen was not completely reliant on her contract with the Valkyries. Thanks to her NIL deals, brand partnerships, endorsements, and various campaigns under her belt, Chen will have surplus income through these multiple investment channels.

With an increased market value ever since she joined UConn, Kaitlyn has signed several deals during her collegiate years as an athlete, including the one from UConn NIL store. She joined hands with the college store to provide a customised UConn Bahamas Women’s Basketball jersey. This merchandise allowed a handsome amount to Chen, where fans would directly fund the player. Besides, she is a blend of athleticism and entrepreneur who has an ability to generate income by transforming into a self-made brand.

A look at Kaitlyn Chen’s College and Professional Career

The Ivy League Player of the Year is a promising talent who averaged 6.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per 40 games throughout her graduate year 2024-25 with the Huskies. She transferred to University of Connecticut from Princeton during her final college year, citing Ivy League rules.

This trailblazer made waves wherever she went. She scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting against the USC during the Elite Eight this year. Prior to entering the Huskies, Chen led Princeton Tigers to three NCAA tournament appearances and three Ivy League wins throughout her three-year tenure. No wonder she is referred to as the Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player!

Addressing her successful induction in the Valkyries, former head coach Carla Berube had said, “The Valkyries are getting a relentless worker, a gritty defender, a versatile playmaker and an amazing teammate. I know Kaitlyn is prepared for the next level. The combination of her Princeton and UConn experiences have well equipped her to play in the W. Congrats Kaitlyn!”

But with a roster cut this sharp, there is still a bleak hope for Chen to strike a deal with another team. Having said that, it will be heartbreaking to see as another promising rookie leaves the Valkyries roster. With such brutal waive offs across the league, how will the Valkyries roster manage to sustain the upcoming season? Only time will tell.