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Former\u00a0UConn Huskies players Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty, Gabby Williams of the Seattle Storm, Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings and Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx pose during the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Steph Chambers\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the second half of Game 2 in the first round of the WNBA basketball playoffs against the Golden State Valkyries, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo\/Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez)<\/p>\n
Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez\/Associated Press<\/p>\n
The WNBA begins a new era this summer, and former UConn women\u2019s basketball<\/a> stars are taking advantage.<\/p>\n A new collective bargaining agreement has shaken up the league, which hosts its 30th season this year, from top to bottom. Superstar players are earning salaries in the $1 million range, with every other player signing six-figure deals.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n While a handful of Huskies stayed put at their longtime franchises, others took the moment to join new teams \u2013 including signing with each of the league\u2019s two newest expansion teams. And for the second straight season, a Husky was drafted No. 1 overall by the Dallas Wings.<\/p>\n Free agency concludes this week as teams begin training camp on Sunday. The 2026 season opens on May 8. While not everyone participating in training camp will make opening day rosters, each Husky will at least get the chance to compete for a spot and show off why they belong in the league.<\/p>\n Within the next few weeks, teams will hold preseason games and begin making roster cuts before their official 12-player rosters (plus two developmental player spots) are due before the season officially opens next month.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n UConn alums in WNBA Training Camps<\/p>\n Azzi Fudd<\/a> \u2013 Dallas Wings<\/p>\n Make CT Insider a preferred source on Google to see more of our journalism when you search.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Fudd was drafted No. 1 overall by Dallas<\/a> in Monday\u2019s WNBA Draft. She begins her rookie season in the league this summer after she finished her collegiate career, earning All-American status.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA basketball draft, poses with a team jersey after an introductory news conference, Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo\/LM Otero)<\/p>\n LM Otero\/AP<\/p>\n Serah Williams \u2013 Portland Fire<\/p>\n Williams was drafted No. 33 overall by the Connecticut Sun before being traded to the Fire.<\/a> Portland returns to the league this season after the franchise initially folded in 2002.<\/p>\n Caroline Ducharme<\/a> \u2013 Golden State Valkyries<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Ducharme signed a training camp contract with Golden State on Wednesday. Unlike a rookie contract\/deal (which gives players a greater chance at making a team\u2019s roster), a training camp contract only guarantees the chance to participate in camp and try out, in a sense, for a roster spot.<\/p>\n Kaitlyn Chen \u2013 Golden State Valkyries<\/p>\n Golden State drafted Chen in the third round of last year\u2019s draft. She was cut before the start of the season, but eventually resigned and played 24 games for the franchise in its debut season in the league last summer. The former Husky and Princeton star signed a training camp contract with the team on Thursday.<\/p>\n Golden State Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen drives to the basket against Seattle Storm forward Ezi Magbegor, right, during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo\/Lindsey Wasson)<\/p>\n Lindsey Wasson\/Associated Press<\/p>\n Aubrey Griffin \u2013 Minnesota Lynx<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Griffin was also drafted in the third round of last year\u2019s draft, but she sat out the season after undergoing season-ending knee surgery during training camp to help fix lingering issues from her 2024 ACL injury at UConn.<\/p>\n Paige Bueckers<\/a> \u2013 Dallas Wings<\/p>\n Bueckers returns for her second season in the WNBA after a standout rookie year last year. The guard earned the WNBA\u2019s Rookie of the Year award and set the WNBA single-game rookie scoring record by scoring 44 points against Los Angeles last August.<\/p>\n Dallas Wings Paige Bueckers tries to get around Connecticut Sun’s Bria Hartley during the first half of a WNBA basketball game at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., Tuesday, May 27, 2025.<\/p>\n Dave Zajac\/Hearst Connecticut Media<\/p>\n Aaliyah Edwards \u2013 Connecticut Sun<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The Washington Mystics traded Edwards to the Sun midseason last year. She returns this summer for her first full season with Connecticut.<\/p>\n Dorka Juh\u00e1sz \u2013 Minnesota Lynx<\/p>\n Juh\u00e1sz sat out last season to focus on her overseas commitments. She returns this year, likely to help make up for an injured Napheesa Collier.<\/p>\n Minnesota Lynx forward Dorka Juhasz looks to make a pass during a WNBA basketball game against the Dallas WingsDorka, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo\/Tony Gutierrez)<\/p>\n Tony Gutierrez\/Associated Press<\/p>\n Olivia Nelson-Ododa \u2013 Connecticut Sun<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Nelson-Ododa has spent the past three seasons with Sun after beginning her career with the Sparks. She re-signed with Connecticut during free agency this year on a new multi-year deal with the franchise.<\/p>\n Katie Lou Samuelson \u2013 Seattle Storm<\/p>\n Samuelson signed with Seattle last year but missed out on the season after tearing her ACL just days into training camp. She returns to the Storm this year healthy.<\/p>\n Gabby Williams \u2013 Golden State Valkyries<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Williams had one of her best seasons yet last year with Seattle, earning her first All-Star nod and WNBA All-Defensive First Team honors. However, after four years with the Storm, she\u2019s decided to move on. The former Husky signed a multi-year contract with Golden State<\/a> during free agency.<\/p>\n SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – SEPTEMBER 09: Gabby Williams #5 of the Seattle Storm warms up before a game against the Golden State Valkyries at Climate Pledge Arena on September 09, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Amanda Loman\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Amanda Loman\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Azur\u00e1\u00a0Stevens \u2013 Chicago Sky<\/p>\n Stevens spent three years with the Sparks but now returns to the franchise where she became a WNBA Champion in 2021. According to ESPN, the former Husky signed a three-year deal with Chicago last week in free agency.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Kia Nurse \u2013 Toronto Tempo<\/p>\n Nurse will return home to Canada this season and play for Toronto in its debut season in the league. The former Husky is from Hamilton, Ontario, which is less than a two-hour drive from Toronto.<\/p>\n LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 09: Kia Nurse #11 of the Chicago Sky brings the ball up the court against Jewell Loyd #24 of the Las Vegas Aces in the first quarter of their game at T-Mobile Arena on September 09, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ian Maule\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Ian Maule\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Breanna Stewart \u2013 New York Liberty<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Stewart returns to her home state franchise for her fourth season with the Liberty. In 2024, she helped lead New York to its first WNBA title. This year, the former Husky is expected to arrive late to camp as she’s playing for Fenerbahce in\u00a0the EuroLeague Final Six tournament, which runs April 15-19.<\/p>\n New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart greets Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike, right, before the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo\/Lindsey Wasson)<\/p>\n Lindsey Wasson\/Associated Press<\/p>\n Kiah Stokes \u2013 Golden State Valkyries<\/p>\n Stokes became a three-time WNBA Champion last year with Las Vegas. However, the former Husky decided to leave the Aces this season and signed instead with Golden State during free agency on a multi-year deal.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Stefanie Dolson \u2013 Seattle Storm<\/p>\n After spending the last two seasons with Washington, the franchise that first drafted her back in 2014, Dolson will be taking her talents across the country as she signed a new one-year deal with Seattle during free agency.<\/p>\n LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 31: Stefanie Dolson #31 of the Washington Mystics calls out a play during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena on August 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Katelyn Mulcahy\/Getty Images<\/p>\n On\u00a0WNBA rosters but injured\u00a0<\/p>\n Nika M\u00fchl \u2013 Portland Fire<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n M\u00fchl has been in the league for two years but hasn\u2019t had the best of luck getting time on the court. The point guard was the very last player on the bench for Seattle during her rookie year before sitting out the entire year last season due to an ACL injury. She was drafted by Portland in the expansion draft earlier this month, but will again miss the season due to her second ACL injury.<\/a><\/p>\n Napheesa Collier \u2013 Minnesota Lynx<\/p>\n Collier is expected to miss the front half of the 2026 season after undergoing two separate surgeries on her ankles in the offseason. The two-time MVP runner-up suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the WNBA Semifinals in September. No official return-to-play timeline has been announced for the former Husky; however,\u00a0she signed a super-max $1.4 million one-year deal with the Lynx on Thursday.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Former\u00a0UConn Huskies players Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty, Gabby Williams of the Seattle Storm, Paige Bueckers…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":612239,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[629],"tags":[222054,49,48,222053,82,630],"class_list":{"0":"post-612238","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wnba","8":"tag-all-daily-sites","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-canada","11":"tag-ct-insider","12":"tag-sports","13":"tag-wnba"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/612238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=612238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/612238\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/612239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=612238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=612238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=612238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/p>\n
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