As part of our 1-v-1 video series, UCLA’s Camryn Brown sat down to interview her teammate Lauren Betts.
Here are five things to know from our conversation with the sophomore from Centennial, Colorado.
#1 Betts was the nation’s No. 1 recruit coming out of high school, an experience that taught her the importance of having a good mindset.
“I try to not put too many expectations on myself, I think that adds a lot of pressure. Obviously, I’m surrounded by amazing players and coaches, so I’m just trying to learn from everybody.
#2 Lauren transferred from Stanford to UCLA after her freshman season. When asked about the hardest part of the transfer process she said, “The reactions to when I entered the portal would have to be the hardest. Just trying to not listen to what other people were saying. But it was a huge [decision], so I went to my mom’s house and blocked out the entire world for a few weeks.”
#3 On the best advice she’s been given about life on the big stage: “Staying where my feet are. Just staying present, not comparing myself to anybody in any type of way.”
#4 Lauren shared her perspective on how she’s grown throughout the last year.
“I can do hard things. I’ve built a lot of confidence. I just know when things go low, I can get myself out of that situation, out of that mindset. As long as I’m surrounded by the right people, I can do whatever.”
#5 Lauren is a big Disney fan. If she had to make a starting five out of Disney characters, she would pick Sully from Monster’s Inc., Hercules, Merida from Brave, Lightning McQueen from Cars, and Moana (as point guard of course).
Watch the full conversation on the Just Women’s Sports YouTube channel.
As part of our 1-v-1 video series, UCLA’s Camryn Brown sat down to interview her teammate Gabriela Jaquez.
Here are five things to know from our conversation with the sophomore forward from Camarillo, California.
#1 Playing basketball at UCLA has been Gabriela's lifelong dream. She often reminds herself of that, especially during challenging moments.
“When it gets hard, I just think back to the times where I dreamed of this. If your 12-year-old self could see you doing this, she would be so proud and so happy and wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
#2 Gabriela’s older brother, Jaime Jaquez Jr., played basketball at UCLA and now plays for the Miami Heat in the NBA. She has learned a lot by watching his calm demeanor on the court.
His advice to her? “You have to be so good that your coach can’t take you off the floor.”
#3 The LA native, recognizes the impact of having both UCLA and USC ranked in the top-10 this year.
“I think it’s really amazing for Southern California basketball, but also women’s basketball as a whole.”
#4 She is known for being the fashionista of the team. If she could swap closets with anyone, she’d pick Hailey Bieber, Sofia Richie, and Kendall Jenner. But she has her eyes on teammate Kiki Rice’s Jordan shoe collection.
#5 Jaquez has a strict pregame ritual routine going into games.
“I do the same things. I’m always first to sprint in line after we warm up and smile the biggest smile to my coaches.”
Watch the full conversation on the Just Women’s Sports YouTube channel.
As part of our 1-v-1 video series, UCLA’s Camryn Brown sat down to interview her teammate Charisma Osborne.
Here are five things to know from our conversation with the graduate student guard from Moreno Valley, California.
#1 When she was recruited, Charisma had offers from both USC and UCLA basketball. She ultimately chose UCLA for the program's traditions and people. But she also had one special requirement of Coach Cori during her official visit.
“The ‘In My Feelings’ dance was brand new and big. Coach Cori doesn’t really dance much. I’ve gotten her out of her comfort zone a bit. I told her she had to do the dance on my visit. And she did it! And I told her if she did it, well then, I would commit.”
#2 Charisma was projected to be a top pick in last year’s WNBA draft, but chose to come back for another year at UCLA. She said she wanted another year with family and friends.
“And obviously I came back to win a championship.”
#3 Charisma’s expectations for this year’s NCAA Women's Basketball tournament?
“I expect us to have a lot of fun. I think sometimes that gets lost when there’s so much pressure and so many things going on. But to have a lot of fun and enjoy it. And I expect us to win. We’re such a good, talented team who works hard all the time and we love each other. We have so much fun with each other. So I just expect that to keep going.”
#4 She has one pregame ritual she can’t go without.
“I drink pickle juice before the game. And I love pickle juice. People think it’s gross, but it helps!
#5 If she had to compare her game to a current WNBA player, Charisma sees the most similarities with Jewel Lloyd.
“I like her game. I like her style. We’re similar in height. She plays really good defense and she’s a bucket. Kobe was her favorite player, too. I do see the similarities.”
Watch the full conversation on the Just Women’s Sports YouTube channel.
Whether coaches like it or not, the NCAA transfer portal has become a crucial part of roster-building in the offseason. In addition to high school recruiting, programs now have to worry about losing players to the portal and filling gaps with transfers. Some teams are thriving in the new landscape, while others are struggling.
Here are the winners and losers of the hyper-active 2023 transfer portal season.
Winners
LSU
The additions of Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow elevate LSU as the clear winners of the transfer portal. The defending champions needed a point guard after Alexis Morris departed for the WNBA, and they got the best available in Van Lith. Her midrange game and playmaking ability will complement Final Four Most Outstanding Player Angel Reese, and she also gives the Tigers another scoring option. Meanwhile, Morrow adds another offensive threat to the frontcourt and brings even more rebounding to the Tigers’ lineup. Reese and Morrow each averaged a double-double last year and should clean up on the glass once more.
North Carolina
The Tar Heels have managed to stay under the radar during the chaos of the transfer portal, but Courtney Banghart is building a contender in the ACC. The Tar Heels lost Kennedy Todd-Williams to Ole Miss and Destiny Adams to Rutgers, but still came out on the winning side of transfer season after securing Lexi Donarski (Iowa State), Indiya Nivar (Stanford) and Maria Gakdeng (Boston College). With Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby already on the roster, the Tar Heels now have capable scorers at every position. Donarski and Gakdeng also bolster the team’s defense, with Donarski as an on-ball defender and Gakdeng as a rim protector.
UCLA
While teams like LSU and North Carolina added several new players, UCLA added one and made it count. They needed a post presence and they got one in the 6-foot-7 Lauren Betts from Stanford. Not to mention they retained the rest of their talented roster, a difficult feat in today’s transfer era. Betts, the No. 1 player in the Class of 2022, joins No. 2 player Kiki Rice and two other top rising sophomores in Gabriela Jaquez and Londynn Jones. Add in Charisma Osborne, who chose to skip the WNBA draft in favor of playing one more season with UCLA, and the Bruins are a team that can contend for a title.
Ohio State
The Buckeyes lost Taylor Mikesell to the WNBA but gained defensive stopper Celeste Taylor out of Duke and Taiyier Parks, who returns home to Ohio after four years at Michigan State. Taylor, in particular, is a player to get Ohio State fans excited. The Buckeyes’ identity is tied to their defensive prowess, particularly their press. Taylor, a 2023 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year finalist, fits perfectly into Ohio State’s system, joining former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Jacy Sheldon to create a dynamic backcourt that will spearhead the press.
Colorado
A big reason for Colorado winning the transfer portal is that they didn’t lose any major players. The Buffs are a Power 5 program without a storied basketball history, making them the kind of team players might transfer from after a strong season. But Colorado’s core, including four starters, is returning from last season’s Sweet 16 run. One thing that was missing for the Buffs in 2022-23? Aside from Frida Formann, Colorado didn’t have any reliable 3-point shooters. That changed thanks to the addition of Maddie Nolan in the portal. The former Michigan player also gives Colorado another ball-handler to play alongside Jaylyn Sherrod.
South Carolina
Iowa exposed a weakness in South Carolina in the Final Four, and Dawn Staley remedied it by bringing in Oregon point guard Te-Hina PaoPao. The Gamecocks lost Aliyah Boston, Brea Beal, Zia Cooke, Leticia Amihere and Victaria Saxon to graduation, but with Kamilla Cardoso, Raven Johnson and Ashlyn Watkins returning, and three top-25 recruits coming in, those players won’t be as hard to replace as you might think. The Gamecocks already had starter-caliber players coming off the bench, but they didn’t have enough shooting. PaoPao provides experience and an outside threat. She made 2.3 3-pointers a game last season on 42.4 percent shooting from deep.
TCU
The Horned Frogs haven’t had much success in recent years, winning just eight games last season, but first-year coach Mark Campbell is guiding the program in the right direction. TCU signed former Oregon player Sedona Prince, who stepped away last season with an injury and a plan to turn pro before returning to college, and former 4-star recruit Madison Connor out of Arizona. The Horned Frogs also added former Stanford guard Agnes Emma-Nnopu, who showed potential in limited minutes over three years, and Una Jovanovi, who averaged 14.6 points and 3.8 assists at Cal State Fullerton last season.
Losers
Duke
Two seasons ago, Kara Lawson made waves by bringing in eight transfers, including Celeste Taylor. This time around, the portal wasn’t so kind to the Blue Devils, who lost five players including Taylor to Ohio State and Shayeann Day-Wilson to Miami. With Elizabeth Balogun graduating, Duke’s top three scorers are gone. They signed All-ACC Freshman guard Taina Mair out of Boston College, but overall the Blue Devils lost more than they gained.
Iowa State
Iowa State’s last few seasons have centered on 2023 WNBA draft pick Ashley Joens, so the Cyclones were bound for a rebuild of some kind this season no matter what. Now, they also have to deal with the loss of Donarski, a solid defender who contributed 12.1 points per game last season, and four other players. They will also feel the absence of Denae Fritz, who averaged 8.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game before transferring to Baylor.
Oregon
Oregon has talented young players like Grace VanSlooten and Chance Gray to build around, but the departure of PaoPao marks the final piece of a worrying trend. Paopao was the last remaining player from Oregon’s 2020 recruiting class. The Ducks brought in five 5-star recruits that season, and all of them ended up transferring.
DePaul
Losing Morrow to LSU is enough to put DePaul in the losers category, but the Blue Demons also parted with six other players. The departures of Morrow and guard Darrione Rogers — who averaged 16.8 points, 5.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game last season — marks the end of an era where the Blue Demons failed to capitalize on star power. In Morrow’s two seasons, they made the NCAA Tournament once and lost in the first four games.
Arizona
Head coach Adia Barnes is a renowned recruiter, but the Wildcats roster took a major blow this portal season. Arizona lost Lauren Ware, a major contributor as a freshman during the team’s run to the 2021 national championship, and Paris Clark, the No. 5 guard in the Class of 2022. The Wildcats also lost three other players. Currently, there are just five players listed on Arizona’s official roster for next season.
NC State
Last year, NC State picked up former No. 3 recruit Saniya Rivers in the transfer portal. This year, things aren’t going as well for the Wolfpack, with five players on the way out. That includes three starters in Jakia Brown-Turner, Camille Hobby and leading scorer Diamond Johnson. Brown-Turner signed with Maryland, Hobby is heading to Illinois, and Johnson has yet to make a decision.
Iowa
The Hawkeyes didn’t lose or gain anyone in the portal, and that’s the problem. Iowa retains Cailtin Clark, Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin from its starting lineup, and Hannah Stuelke will be more experienced and ready to step into a major role in the paint. Outside of that, the NCAA runners-up don’t have obvious replacements for McKenna Warnock or Monika Czinano. Iowa would have benefitted from finding a post in the transfer portal who could complement Clark’s playmaking and add depth alongside the developing Stuelke.
Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.
Former No. 1 recruit Lauren Betts is transferring to UCLA from Stanford, and the balance of women’s basketball power in California could be shifting with her.
With the transfer decision, the Bruins will have the No. 1 and No. 2 prospects from the 2022 class, with Betts joining Bruins guard Kiki Rice.
Rice made the Pac-12 all-freshman team in 2023, averaging 11.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists en route to UCLA’s first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance since 2019 — making it one round farther than Stanford, which lost in the second round. UCLA also upset Stanford in the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament.
The addition of a 6-foot-7 center in Betts makes UCLA an even bigger threat in the upcoming season, particularly as seniors Charisma Osborne and Camryn Brown have announced they will be staying for a fifth year.
Osborne originally declared the draft but withdrew her name to stay with the Bruins. She has been a major part of the Bruins lineup, averaging 15.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season.
Additionally, the team will add McDonald’s All-American forward Amanda Muse as a highly-touted recruit.
Former No. 1 overall recruit Lauren Betts is leaving Stanford after one season for in-state rival UCLA, she announced Tuesday via Instagram.
The top recruit in the class of 2022, the 6-foot-7 center played just 9.6 minutes per game for the Cardinal this past season, averaging 5.9 points and 3.5 rebounds.
She entered the transfer portal in early April, several weeks after No. 1 seed Stanford’s shocking exit in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Two other Cardinal players also are in the portal: freshman Indya Nivar and junior Agnes Emma-Nnopu.
While Betts did not post on social media about her transfer, her mother Michelle Betts responded to a post about her daughter’s decision, referencing the plans of the Stanford coaching staff.
“None of you have any idea what they might have planned or not planned for Lauren,” Michelle Betts wrote in a post retweeted by Lauren.
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow,” Lauren Betts wrote in her own post announcing her move to UCLA.
UCLA had recruited Betts during her career at Grandview High School in Colorado, as did South Carolina, UConn, Notre Dame and Oregon. While she ended up choosing Stanford out of high school, she’ll head down the California coast to UCLA to continue her career.
Twitter account College Transfer Portal first reported Betts’ transfer decision.
UCLA senior guard Charisma Osborne is forgoing the 2023 WNBA Draft, electing instead to use her extra year of NCAA eligibility.
As a WNBA coach told Osborne and UCLA coach Cori Close, the decision could be a smart move.
To provide her players with the best possible advice about their futures, Close frequently touches base with WNBA coaches. One coach offered Close and Osborne a stark assessment about life in the professional league, the New York Times reported Sunday.
“Does Charisma want to make more money and stay in college and get massages, fly charter, have everything paid for, have a nutritionist and have her own trainers that are paid for?” Close said, quoting the coach. “Or does she want to have none of those things and fly Southwest with us?”
The latter scenario would hold true only if Osborne made the cut for a WNBA roster. The 12-team league is facing a roster crunch, with just 36 draft picks and 144 roster spots but more than 80 players on the draft entry list.
“We have all these people growing and mastering their craft, with no place to go in the United States,” Close said. “It’s just really sad that those are the conversations we’re having to have with our league and our college game being so healthy and vibrant and growing.”
Osborne had declared for the draft after UCLA’s Sweet 16 exit from the NCAA Tournament, but the 5-9 point guard has withdrawn her name. The WNBA Draft will be held at 7 p.m. ET on Monday in New York, and if draft entrants choose to withdraw, they must do so at least five days before (so, by Thursday).
Los Angeles Sparks guard Lexie Brown pushed back against some of the criticism of the WNBA, tweeting Tuesday: “Y’all really think we don’t have massage therapists, trainers, and nutritionists?”
Still, future top draft picks are weighing their options, including Iowa junior Caitlin Clark and UConn junior Paige Bueckers. Most of this season’s juniors and seniors have the option to use the extra year of eligibility granted to college athletes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tennessee senior Tamari Key laid out reasons players might choose to stay after she and her teammate Rickea Jackson opted to return for another season with the Lady Vols. Among them was the name, image and likeness policy, which opens up NIL deals to students.
Key also mentioned chartered flights, which have been a sticking point for WNBA players over the last few seasons.
“I’m not speaking for everyone when I say this, but I’m sure if you asked collegiate women’s basketball players that are staying an extra year, you would probably get an answer similar to any of these,” she wrote.
The postseason is less than one month away, and with it comes a slew of awards, including Freshman of the Year.
DePaul forward Aneesah Morrow won the award last year after a breakout season. In 2020-21, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark of Iowa and UConn’s Paige Bueckers were co-recipients. This year’s recipient will join some elite recent company.
Just Women’s Sports breaks down the top six candidates for 2023 Freshman of the Year.
Ta’Niya Latson, Florida State
There have been some great freshman performances so far this season, but it’s hard for many of them to truly compare with Florida State’s 5-foot-8 guard. Not only is Latson leading the freshman class in scoring, she’s also No. 8 among all players in the country with 21.9 points per game. She also contributes 4.5 rebounds and three assists per game, while shooting 46 percent from the field. She’s led Florida State to a No. 19 ranking and wins over ranked ACC teams Duke, NC State and North Carolina.
Latson is a prolific scorer, but her best attribute this season has been consistency. The guard has scored fewer than 10 points just once this season, while also hitting the 30-point mark six times in 27 games. Highlights include 31 points in an overtime victory over NC State and 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals in Florida State’s upset of UNC.
Several players have cases for Freshman of the Year, but none mean as much to their team as Latson does to Florida State. With less than a month left in the regular season, she is the frontrunner for the award.
Kiki Rice, UCLA
The No. 2 recruit in the country came to UCLA with a lot of hype and has handled it with poise. Rice knows she isn’t the main option for the Bruins (that mantle belongs to senior guard Charisma Osborne), but she plays her secondary role in a positive way, doing a bit of everything for her team. Rice is averaging 11.5 points per game, 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and a team-high 1.3 steals.
Kiki Rice. That's it, that's the tweet.
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) February 12, 2023
📺: Pac-12 Networks
📲: https://t.co/FONoGTkJ32 #GoBruins | @kiki_rice0 pic.twitter.com/bhBCKAYiMq
Rice has been a starter for UCLA since Game 1 this season, and she adjusted to the college game seamlessly. On Nov. 20, against a long, athletic Tennessee squad, Rice responded with 15 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals to help her team secure an upset win. The guard also held her own in a close contest with South Carolina, recording 16 points and five rebounds.
Cotie McMahon, Ohio State
Despite coming in as a highly-touted recruit, McMahon likely wasn’t expecting to play such a big role this season on a stacked Ohio State team. But injuries to Jacy Sheldon and Madison Greene meant the Buckeyes didn’t have time to ease McMahon into a bigger role. She had to take it right away, and the forward has delivered. In 26.4 minutes per game, McMahon is averaging 14 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
Q3 | @cotiemcmahon23 splits the defenders for an old-fashioned three-point play!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/VnlPQGJlky
— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) February 14, 2023
The forward has done everything Ohio State has asked of her while adding a new element to their offense. She brings physicality to the court and is able to drive and create, serving as a good complement to shooters like Taylor Mikesell and post players like Rebeka Mikulasikova. Even in games where Ohio State has struggled, McMahon has often been a bright spot. She held her own in losses to top opponents, Iowa and Indiana, recording 21 points in each contest.
Grace VanSlooten, Oregon
Oregon has had a steep decline in recent weeks, dropping 10 of their last 14 games after starting the season 10-1 and climbing into the Top 25. But while the Ducks have had trouble in a difficult Pac-12 conference, Vanslooten has not. She’s second on the team in scoring with 14.5 points and second in rebounds with 6.2 per contest. The 6-3 forward has produced those numbers in a league with experienced post players defending her.
VanSlooten doesn’t shy away from top competition, recording a career-high 29 points on Dec. 21 in a loss to then-No. 3 Ohio State, while also grabbing nine rebounds for a near-double-double. Other highlights include 17 points and 11 boards against UNC, and 17 points and eight rebounds against UCLA.
Flau’jae Johnson, LSU
When LSU plays, eyes are on the duo of Angel Reese and Alexis Morris, but Johnson has developed into a reliable third option for the Tigers. She’s averaging 12.5 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding with 6.3 per game, despite being just 5-10. She’s also blocking one shot per game, which speaks to the energy, effort and athleticism she brings to the court. Johnson even has three double-doubles this season on points and rebounds.
Johnson showed her variety of skills in a win over UAB on Nov. 26, finishing with 19 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and three steals. The guard was then crucial in a close 79-76 victory over Arkansas on Jan. 19, when she contributed 19 points and six rebounds. (Unrelated to the award debate: Johnson also has world-class talent off the court.)
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, Baylor
Like VanSlooten of Oregon, Littlepage-Buggs will have a tough time winning this award because of her team’s struggles. But also like Vanslooten, Littlepage-Buggs has been a consistent bright spot for her team. The 6-1 forward is averaging a near-double-double with 9.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest. She’s also efficient in her attempts, shooting 51.3 percent from the field.
Littlepage-Buggs has clearly impressed coach Nicki Collen, who has called on the talented freshman to start in 19 of her team’s 24 games. Even when she doesn’t start, Littlepage-Buggs is a fixture on the court for the Bears, playing 24.8 minutes per contest. In a recent win over a tough Kansas squad, she played 30 minutes off the bench and finished with 12 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.
UCLA incoming freshman Kiki Rice has signed with Wasserman for NIL representation, with the company announcing the news Thursday.
Welcome to the #TeamWass family, @kiki_rice0!
— Wasserman (@Wasserman) July 8, 2022
Check out this thread for a look at just some of what Kiki has accomplished in this year alone (and she's just getting started).
THREAD 1/3 pic.twitter.com/8WLVtfPbzi
The Sidwell Friends guard joins UCLA with a long high school resume, winning nearly every award there is to win.
In 2022, Rice was named the Just Women’s Sports High School Basketball Player of the Year, Gatorade National Player of the Year, Naismith Prep Player of the Year, Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American Game co-MVP. She enters college with plenty of hype after averaging 26.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game as a senior.
Rice joins the likes of UConn superstar Paige Bueckers on Wasserman’s athlete roster.