The WNBA draft of 2026 is heating up the conversations already. With the draft lottery already done and dusted, the teams will now look to land the best possible NCAA talent for their team. For example, the Dallas Wings won the lottery for a second time in a row.
And thus, they would need to carefully decide who they want to go with. After all, the Wings, despite having Paige Bueckers in their ranks, faltered badly last year. Now then, looking at this year’s draft lineup, it is stacked.
And one of the teams that will be taking the draft by storm will be none other than UCLA. While initially UCLA already landed three of its players in the top eight, things are now looking much more rosy for the Bruins.
UCLA To Land Six Of Their Prospects Aiming WNBA Draft Takeover
There have been a lot of mock drafts coming in for this year already. And according to multiple choices, UCLA’s Lauren Betts is all set to go first. With averages of 13.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, Betts is surely a top pick prospect.
And that is not all. The Bruins will also have Kiki Rice and Gianna Kneepkens as two formidable guards that the teams might target.
Rice has already proved herself, dropping some stellar averages. Her 15.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists this season are the best of her career. What’s more?
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Last week, while playing against Tennessee, Rice clinched a total of 20 points and 11 points to further strengthen her case.
UCLA set to shatter WNBA Draft record!https://t.co/vTRUdqKSQC
— Debmallya Chakraborty (@DebmallyaC93340) December 5, 2025
Kneepkens, too, has some stellar numbers to share. The former Utah star has blossomed significantly for the Bruins with 13.9 points, 3.7 assists, and an impressive 45.8 percent shooting from the three-point range.
And while these three names were not enough, UCLA also has Charlisse Leger-Walker, Gabriela Jaquez, and Angela Dugalić coming in for the draft. And while the teams will be trying to cash in, the likes of Betts have already announced themselves in style.
UCLA’s Lauren Betts Shines In Season Opener
Last year, it was the UConn Huskies who clinched the title. But now, looking to dethrone the champions, the Bruins have come in with a strong team.
Playing in their season opener, Bruins’ star Betts delivered a stellar show. With only 26 minutes of gametime, the 6-foot-7 star dropped 21 points. Add to that an impressive shooting of 75%. Thus, with things looking rosy, fans cannot wait to see what’s next.