Despite the tough loss in the Round 1 playoffs, Paige Bueckers had a lot of love left for Valkyries' Kaitlyn Chen. Rivals now but college teammates once upon a time, they clashed against each other, but Chen advanced. Bueckers commented on Chen's Instagram post.

Bueckers bowed out of her first playoff appearance after the 77-73 Game 3 defeat Friday at Chase Center. Chen and the Valkyries made it to the semis for the first time in franchise history. The Dallas star only had praise for her UConn Huskies teammate. 

“Proud of you,” Bueckers commented on Chen’s Instagram post.

The three-word hype comment also had a twist. Bueckers included a purple-colored heart with it and, hilariously, flipped the bird at her NCAA-winning teammate. 

It's clear that the close defeat is still haunting Bueckers. The Dallas guard averaged 16 points throughout the series. Chen, on the other hand, played limited minutes and racked up 12 points in total. 

Chen showcased her love for her teammates and Chase Center through her Instagram carousel.

“i love my teammates and i love ballhalla,” Chen wrote in her Instagram caption.

The post was flooded with comments from her Valkyries teammates. Her UConn teammate also joined in the party. It’s not the first time that Bueckers has come out to praise Chen.

After the Valkyries defeated the Fever in July and Chen had a 14-point haul in a span of just 10 minutes, Bueckers praised her ex-teammate on social media.

Chen and the Valkyries will now face the defending champion, the Las Vegas Aces, in the semis. Bueckers will be looking forward to the next season. 

In a heartbreaking moment, Bueckers broke down in the postgame conference. 

Chen had her teammates; Bueckers did too

During their postgame press conference, a reporter asked Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale about the Wings’ best single-season turnaround in WNBA history. The  24-year-old was moved to tears. 

"I think just our selfless nature and how much we enjoyed coming to work," Bueckers said, per New York Post Sports' Joseph Staszewski. 

The comment underscored the team's chemistry despite the playoff exit.

The Dallas guard was left emotional by the question. She covered her face with a towel and put her head on the table. 

Ogunbowale supported her, putting her hand on Bueckers’ shoulder. The reigning Rookie of the Year carried the team all year, but it wasn’t enough to cross the line against the Valkyries. 

Written by

Avishek Sarkar