On Tuesday night, Kaitlyn Chen became the first player of Taiwanese descent to officially take to the WNBA court. The 23-year-old guard debuted for the Golden State Valkyries during their inaugural preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Chen received cheers and applause as she entered the game in the fourth quarter. In eight minutes of play, she recorded two points on 1-for-3 shooting and grabbed three rebounds. Her first basket, a transition layup, was met with a standing ovation from many in the crowd of 17,428.
Spark off the bench
Natalie Nakase, who also made history as the WNBA’s first Asian American head coach, highlighted Chen’s energy and impact despite limited minutes.