UCLA center Lauren Betts to stay for senior season, will defer WNBA draft
Betts was eligible for 2025 WNBA Draft
UCLA's Lauren Betts is sticking around for another season. The star center confirmed with ESPN on Friday that she was planning to defer the WNBA Draft and stay with the Bruins for her senior year.
"College is the best years of your life, and so I don't think I'd ever give that up," Betts told ESPN. "Why not be spoiled for a whole another year? The way the coaches take care of us in this program, like, how comfortable I am here, and I think that the friendships I've created — I'd want to do that for another year."
Betts will turn 22 this year, making her eligible for the 2025 WNBA Draft. She was projected to be a top-five pick if she had declared for the draft.
Instead, she will stay with the dominant Bruins through the 2025-2026 season. UCLA, currently ranked No. 1, is 22-0, the only undefeated team remaining in Division I women's college basketball.
After a year at Stanford, Betts transferred to UCLA. She has thrived in her two seasons with the Bruins, rediscovering her confidence and reestablishing herself as one of the best players in the country.
Betts is averaging 20.2 points and almost 10 rebounds per game this season, leading the team in both categories. Her defensive presence is also strong: She's currently averaging just shy of a steal and 3 blocks per game.
With Betts leading the way, UCLA has been on a tear this season. The Bruins took the No. 1 spot in November after a 15-point blowout over South Carolina, and haven't looked back since. Even with the regular season nearly over, UCLA has a pair of rivalry games against JuJu Watkins and No. 7 USC to look forward to, with the first coming Thursday.
