A heartwarming video of Justė learning that she had been drafted by the Valkyries. The link is on a Valkyrie email which many of you may be getting, and it’s an Instagram video. I have no idea how to get that video to you here.
Just two days before the start of the Ivy League tournament, Princeton star Kaitlyn Chen turned in a draft of her senior thesis. A medical anthropology major, Chen is writing on the relationship between sports and meritocracy. More specifically, she’s researching how socioeconomic status influences accessibility to certain sports, and how that translates to college athletics recruiting. She admits, rather humbly, that she is still figuring out parts of her argument, such as how to square the financial barriers athletes have growing up with the hard work they put in. She’s written about 70 pages. “I’ve still got a lot of editing,” she said. “Stuff to take out and put in.”
Never heard of her, but here it is: “Kaitlyn Chen is an American college basketball player for the UConn Huskies of the Big East Conference. She previously played for the Princeton Tigers.” First Taiwanese American to win a national championship.
“No. 20 – UConn Huskies
Position: Point guard / shooting guard
League: Big East Conference
Personal information
Born: San Marino, California, U.S.
Listed height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Career information
High school: Flintridge Prep ( La Cañada Flintridge, California)
College: Princeton (2021–2024), UConn (2024–present)” (2025) National Champion
Woohoo LVA drafts Nye at #13, the first pick who's not an official invitee. That leaves more choices for GSV at #17. Getting close. Still available of the invitees after #14:
GS Valkyries have the #5 pick in a four player draft. I think if any of Citron, Malonga, Iriafen fall to #5, then GSV grabs them. Otherwise it’s pretty open.
In the NBA draft, the picks take time because teams are making each other trade offers up to the last second. But in the WNBA, teams aren’t allowed to trade picks on draft day. So IN THEORY that means the picks could come more quickly.
write-up of the draft now up at
https://valkyrienation.substack.com/p/gsv-drafts-juste-jocyte-at-5-shyanne
A heartwarming video of Justė learning that she had been drafted by the Valkyries. The link is on a Valkyrie email which many of you may be getting, and it’s an Instagram video. I have no idea how to get that video to you here.
Justė Joyctė
I was using the French accent grave, but it is actually dots above the e
Marisa Ingemi @mingemi.bsky.social
[[
At No. 30, the Valkyries use their third round pick to select Kaitlyn Chen
UConn national champion, former Ivy League sharpshooter, 115 assists this season, California native.
]]
Had to dig around some, but I remember reading about her last year when she was a senior at Princeton:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5359156/2024/03/22/princeton-kaitlyn-chen-ncaa-tournament-thesis/
Just two days before the start of the Ivy League tournament, Princeton star Kaitlyn Chen turned in a draft of her senior thesis. A medical anthropology major, Chen is writing on the relationship between sports and meritocracy. More specifically, she’s researching how socioeconomic status influences accessibility to certain sports, and how that translates to college athletics recruiting. She admits, rather humbly, that she is still figuring out parts of her argument, such as how to square the financial barriers athletes have growing up with the hard work they put in. She’s written about 70 pages. “I’ve still got a lot of editing,” she said. “Stuff to take out and put in.”
https://areed36316.substack.com/p/defending-meritocracy-why-competition
Should be a fascinating read.
Never heard of her, but here it is: “Kaitlyn Chen is an American college basketball player for the UConn Huskies of the Big East Conference. She previously played for the Princeton Tigers.” First Taiwanese American to win a national championship.
“No. 20 – UConn Huskies
Position: Point guard / shooting guard
League: Big East Conference
Personal information
Born: San Marino, California, U.S.
Listed height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Career information
High school: Flintridge Prep ( La Cañada Flintridge, California)
College: Princeton (2021–2024), UConn (2024–present)” (2025) National Champion
Wikipedia
She's 5-9 for people who care about that...
Only the most dedicated will stick around for the last GSV pick at #30. But for the record, these are the top mocked players still available:
Sedona Prince (controversial)
Rayah Marshall
JJ Quinerly
Gianna Kneepkens
Janiah Barker
Or does GSV go for another international youngster?
Another surprise!
Sellers had a knee injury that seems to have scared everyone off, but GSV can afford to wait for her to heal.
#17 SHYANNE SELLERS TO GSV
Some mocked her to GSV at #5, fell to #17. The Jocyte / Sellers draft reminds me of the Kuminga / Moody draft in a lot of ways.
https://youtu.be/6dAnoYJzlOY?si=BtENmrHqmAv6kw9r Y
https://youtu.be/Dcmdvl_Vhew?si=92VBOf4PhI-vKkwb
Thanks, I'll put these in the write-up
Okay... at #17 all four are still available. I figure GSV has to grab Sellers, right?
Shyanne Sellers
Te-Hina Paopao
Serena Sundell
Sania Feagin
Woohoo LVA drafts Nye at #13, the first pick who's not an official invitee. That leaves more choices for GSV at #17. Getting close. Still available of the invitees after #14:
Shyanne Sellers
Te-Hina Paopao
Serena Sundell
Sania Feagin
Sellers was mocked by some to GSV at #5.
GSV picking at #17. #10 on the clock. Big names still on the board:
Shyanne Sellers
Hailey Van Lith
Te-Hina Paopao
Maddy Westbeld
Sedona Prince (controversial)
Serena Sundell
Oops, Van Lith gone at #10
Pao-Pao is the one
Ditto.
They had her if they wanted her but they passed, sadly
Thank god they didn't draft a 5'6 or 5'7 guard.
Amoore is off the board, but Hailey Van Lith is still on the board!!
JUSTE JOCYTE
Too bad they didn’t do an interview, like PaoPao.
Surprising as she was on a lot of people‘s radar.
Justé highlights
https://youtu.be/KhbNb1aNvgo?si=uprxxYuyzu_HIxMt
https://youtu.be/KAkcIZEzfxE?si=b7ZwMuEXPVh-7zK-
https://youtu.be/T9_0B-LpQcc?si=HhnsKZEODHsxvegW
Her game reminds me of Goran Dragic.
Oh. I actually watched her highlights and liked her a lot (not sure that's a good sign, though)
You called it!
haha, I definitely did not, but at least I considered her a very serious option
This is it.... Aneesah Morrow, Shyanne Sellers, Justė Jocytė or even Hailey van Lith to GSV at #5 ??
GS Valkyries have the #5 pick in a four player draft. I think if any of Citron, Malonga, Iriafen fall to #5, then GSV grabs them. Otherwise it’s pretty open.
And it’s Malonga at #2, the dunking phenom
In the NBA draft, the picks take time because teams are making each other trade offers up to the last second. But in the WNBA, teams aren’t allowed to trade picks on draft day. So IN THEORY that means the picks could come more quickly.
Nah, gotta fit in all the commercials ... ;D
In reality, #2 pick is taking an eternity when it was decided days ago
Okay, DAL is on the clock for the #1 pick. I suppose there’s TECHNICALLY a chance they won’t select Paige but
That would be a bigger shock than the Luca trade