Kaitlyn Chen Bio: Net Worth, Salary and Professional Career

Kaitlyn Chen is one of the youngest stars creating waves in women's professional basketball. Chen is an expert ball handler, has amazing court-vision, and can guarantee clutch performances. She gave an outstanding performance as a college player at Princeton and was recently crowned national champion at the University of Connecticut in 2025. She was selected as the 30th overall pick by the Golden State Valkyries in the 2025 WNBA draft.

Chen has become quite a popular figure for all that she has achieved at a young age. Not only does she combine her brilliance in basketball, but utilizes her talents to excel in academics as well. In this article, we will be delving more into Kaitlyn Chen's life, knowing some of the known and unknown details about the breakout WNBA star that was drafted by the Valkyries.

Kaitlyn Chen's Early Life

Kaitlyn Chen was born and raised up in San Marino, California. Growing up, with several interests, she eventually came to realize that her passion only lied in hooping. Chen was exposed to basketball at an early age, and had started playing in local leagues soon after. Her consistency and dedication in those games made her stand out from the crowd. Chen became an amazing point guard with the help of her parents' efforts and the methods of her mentors and coaches. Chen's role model has always been Sue Bird, and her coaches were very supportive, which instilled the importance of values and hard work in her.

Kaitlyn Chen's Personal Information

Kaitlyn Chen is an American basketball player, who was born on February 22, 2002, in California, U.S. Chen is a basketball player, who is especially known for her leadership skills, court intelligence, her goaling capabilities. Kaitlyn Chen's height is 5 feet 9 inches and she weighs around 145 lbs. She started getting famous, after her collegiate career at Princeton and the University of Connecticut, where she won many awards and achieved a lot of milestones in her career. In 2025, she was drafted 30th in the third round of the WNBA by the Golden State Valkyries. Chen has just joined the WNBA, but still her popularity and playing skills on the court have earned her a lot of fame. Kaitlyn Chen's journey is a symbol of struggle, dedication and hard work, which she has given to this sport.

Kaitlyn Chen's Personal Life

Kaitlyn Chen was born in San Marino, California, on February 22, 2002. Chen's parents are Yeh-Ching Chen and Sandy Shien and she has a sister named Rebecca. Since childhood, Chen was interested in playing different sports and was very athletic in nature. She was inspired to play basketball, after watching the Los Angeles Lakers' games with her father.

She started taking basketball seriously in the elementary school, and when she became part of Flintridge Preparatory School, she made a lot of records in assists, rebounds, and points. Chen was only consistent in the court, but was a bright student in the academics also. She completed her bachelor's degree in anthropology from the Princeton University in May 2024. Apart from the fame she is getting, she mostly keeps her life private and balances her basketball achievements altogether.

Kaitlyn Chen Boyfriend

Kaitlyn Chen's boyfriend is a former Princeton University basketball player, named Caden Shapiro. They both made their relationship official by announcing it publicly in July 2023. They are seen together enjoying vacations, spending quality time, and the basketball games. After announcing their relationship publicly, they have been posting each other on their anniversaries or on occassions such as Valentine's Day, sharing heartfelt notes for each other. Although, their relationship is open to the public, but Shapiro wants to keep his life private. Both of them are very supportive towards each other and balance their career and private lives with an ease.

Kaitlyn Chen's Parents

Kaitlyn Chen parents were Taiwanese immigrants who moved to the United States. Chen's mother is Sandy Shien, and her father is Yeh-Ching Chen, who supported her in fulfilling her dreams. Chen's parents were not basketball enthusiasts, but they still helped her in her basketball career by sorting the AAU circuit for her and attending the tournaments, in which she wanted to participate. Chen's parents even took the red-eye flights from Los Angeles to the East Coast, especially to watch their daughter's basketball match. Her parents' presence in the audience gave her immense courage and motivation to give her best in the court, as Chen's parents' efforts should never go waste.

Kaitlyn Chen Contract

Kaitlyn Chen was selected 30th overall by the WNBA team, Golden State Valkyries, and this was the first time that a Taiwanese American player was selected in the league. For the 2025 WNBA season, Kaitlyn Chen's contract was offered a base salary of $66,079, which is a standard rookie contract. However, the Golden State Valkyries unfortunately waived Chen on May 14, 2025, right before the 2025 WNBA season's start. Following this, Chen's contract was eventually voided, meaning she would not specifically receive any salary from the Valkyries.

Kaitlyn Chen Salary

Kaitlyn Chen Salary was set to earn a $66,079 salary for the 2025 WNBA season, which was the league's minimum salary given to the players who had 0-2 years of experience. Chen was getting this base salary in the league's rookie pay scale, which did not include the performance bonuses or incentives. However, she did not receive this salary as she was waived off ahead of the start of the season. Although, Chen did not receive any salary from the first year of her WNBA season, she earns enough through NIL and endorsement deals.

Kaitlyn Chen Net Worth

Kaitlyn Chen net worth is estimated between $500,000–$1 million. This total value comes from including her Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) earnings, merchandise sales, and other contracts. For the 2025 WNBA season, Kaitlyn Chen's contract was for a base salary of $66,079, which is a standard rookie contract. However, this was voided after the Valkyries waived Chen before the start of the season. As reports suggest, Chen has now joined a 3x3 Basketball Association, of which the contract details are undisclosed.

Kaitlyn Chen Career

Kaitlyn Chen career is known for her consistent effort, achievements, and hard work, which she has shown for the game throughout her career. At Princeton University, Chen took her team to three straight Ivy League championships and NCAA Tournament berths, which earned her wins like Ivy League Player of the Year and several tournament MVP awards.

In her graduate season at UConn, Chen played in all 40 games, helping the Huskies capture the 2025 NCAA Championship. Her basketball career demonstrated her hard work, versatility, and leadership on a national level. In 2025, Chen became the first Taiwanese American to be drafted into the WNBA by the Golden State Valkyries. Chen's career is an indication of her determination, ability, and trailblazing nature in women's basketball.

Kaitlyn Chen High School Career

Kaitlyn Chen's high school career in basketball was stellar at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada Flintridge, California. Chen was a four-year varsity starter and three-year captain, and she guided the team to achieve many wins, such as a CIF Southern Section Division II runner-up finish in 2018.

Chen is a school record holder for career points (2,009), rebounds (922), and assists (421), and also holds the school single-game scoring record with 38 points. Her outstanding performance won her many awards, including the John R. Wooden High School Player of the Year Award for CIF Southern Section Division II, league MVP, and several All-Area Player of the Year awards.

Kaitlyn Chen College Career

Kaitlyn Chen college career was amazing, starting at Princeton University and finishing at the University of Connecticut (UConn). On the Princeton team, Chen's second year of play was lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her junior year (2021–22) saw her average 10.5 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game. Her best effort came in her fourth year (2022–23), when she averaged 16.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game and won the Ivy League Player of the Year award. She finished her Princeton career with 1,276 points and 359 assists, third in career assists and 12th in career points in school history. After that, she moved on to UConn for her master's year (2024–25), and Chen was instrumental in helping the Huskies win an NCAA Championship.

Kaitlyn Chen Professional Career

Kaitlyn Chen's career as a professional basketball player started with great promise, but she met with setbacks in the early stages of her career. She was picked 30th overall by the Golden State Valkyries in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Chen became the first Taiwanese American to be chosen by the league. Although promising, Chen was waived by the Valkyries on May 14, 2025, on the eve of the start of the season, following two appearances in preseason games. After her release, she quickly signed with the Spokane Hoopfest of the 3x3 Basketball Association (3XBA) in order to keep playing professionally in the 3x3 format. Chen's move to 3x3 basketball is indicative of her flexibility and willingness to find success at the pro level.

Kaitlyn Chen Awards and Achievements

Kaitlyn Chen has won many awards and achieved a lot in the early stages of her basketball career, emphasizing her greatness on and off the court. She was a standout player at Princeton, where she received the Ivy League Player of the Year award in 2023 and was a three-time Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player. She also won consecutive First Team All-Ivy League awards. In 2025, she helped the University of Connecticut win the NCAA Championship. Chen was awarded WBCA All-America Honorable Mention and CSC Academic All-America for her balanced sporting and academic achievement. Her achievements reflect her leadership, talent, and dedication to excellence in all aspects.