DHJ Quick Take: From Hollywood to the Pros
- The Draft Outlook: Lauren Betts enters Monday as the prohibitive favorite for the Minnesota Lynx at No. 2, while Kiki Rice‘s draft stock is surging toward the Chicago Sky at No. 5. Their ability to lead a “player-led” locker room at UCLA makes them the most pro-ready leadership duo in the 2026 class.
- The “Texas” Reset: Both players pointed to their lone loss against Texas as the catalyst for their 37-1 season. That ability to use failure as fuel is exactly why WNBA front offices are enamored with the Bruins‘ core; they don’t just win, they adjust.
- Modern Big Strategy: Betts’ desire to “spread the floor” and “switch out on guards” is music to the ears of Lynx fans. In a league defined by mobility, a 6-foot-7 center with defensive versatility is the ultimate franchise building block.
- Investing in the Moment: As Rice noted, the “congratulations” and media coverage surrounding their Cane’s shift prove that the investment in women’s basketball is paying massive dividends. They aren’t just draft picks; they are marketable stars entering the league at its peak.
LOS ANGELES — Fresh off the most dominant championship run in UCLA Women’s Basketball history, Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice brought the party to Hollywood on Thursday, clocking in for a special Raising Cane’s “shift” at the chain’s 6800 Sunset Blvd. location before turning their attention to Monday’s WNBA Draft. Dallas Hoops Journal stopped by the event while in town, covering the Dallas Mavericks‘ recent three-game road trip before the end of their regular season.
The two Bruins stars worked the front counter and drive-thru, served Craveable Chicken Finger Meals to lucky customers selected from the line, and soaked in the kind of celebratory energy that has followed them since UCLA’s 79-51 dismantling of South Carolina on Sunday. Betts is emerging as the favorite to go No. 2 to the Minnesota Lynx, while Rice is increasingly favored to land at No. 5 with the Chicago Sky.
“Our team loves Cane’s,” Betts said at the event. “We have a slogan on our team — we always say, ‘Let’s get this chicken.’ So it’s kind of perfect that we’re here.”
A Championship Built on Accountability
The Bruins finished 37-1, with their only blemish coming in a regular-season loss to Texas — a defeat both players credited as the defining moment of the season.
“Our loss to Texas was a really big turning point for our team,” Betts said. “We learned a lot about how we need to come out, how we need to start games, and the mentality that we need to have — being aggressive from the very beginning.”
“Once we played them again, we were not going to take it easy on them from the very beginning. I think we all just needed a little reset, and that pushed us. We’ve gotten a lot better since then.”
Rice described a shift in team culture that accelerated UCLA’s run to the title.
“When our team became player-led versus coach-led, that’s when we took the biggest turn,” Rice said. “As players, us taking responsibility to be leaders and take control of the team and the room was huge for us.”
“Be fearless in your leadership. That’s something we talk about a lot — not being afraid to say the hard things, not being afraid to really push your teammates and have tough conversations, because those are the times where you have the most growth.”
Betts credited the program’s daily grind for holding everything together when the stakes were highest.
“We push each other every single day. We hold each other accountable. We’re all very competitive and we don’t take it easy on each other,” Betts said. “When big games happen, the trust that you’ve built over time just shows. That’s why we gel so well together, because we have so much faith in each other.”
Walking Into the Title Game With No Doubt
By the time UCLA reached the national championship, Rice said the outcome felt inevitable from the moment the team entered the building.
“Honestly, when we walked in the gym, we were confident. You could just feel the vibe, feel the energy that we had when we started warmups,” Rice said. “You look around the team and in the locker room, and you’re like, okay — no one on this team is going to be okay with losing today.”
“They just emphasized that we’re prepared. We’ve worked for this moment. We don’t need to do anything differently than what we’ve done this entire season.”
When the final buzzer sounded, Rice said the feeling was unlike anything she had experienced.
“To feel the confetti coming down on our faces and to be up there on the stage and win a national championship — that’s what we came here to do,” Rice said. “To finally achieve that goal and finish out our college careers in the best way possible was so special.”
Betts, who earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors along with Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, reflected on what the accolades actually represent.
“None of the accolades would be possible without the program that I’m playing for and the position that I’m in,” Betts said. “These girls have changed my life, these coaches have made me so much better, and none of this would be possible without them.”
Eyes on the Draft
With Monday’s WNBA Draft approaching, both players used the Raising Cane’s appearance to speak openly about where their heads are as they enter the next chapter. Betts, projected to the Lynx at No. 2, and Rice, increasingly linked to Chicago at No. 5, each spoke about what they are looking for as they prepare to begin their professional careers.
Betts expressed gratitude for the infrastructure that has made the moment possible.
“I’m very grateful for all the people that put in so much work to create amazing opportunities for people like Kiki and me going into the draft,” Betts said. “We don’t take that for granted. They’re setting the stage for people like us to have amazing opportunities and to set ourselves up for life.”
“It took a village. We’re making our dreams come true. If my younger self could see me now, she’d be very, very proud.”
On the court, Betts said her focus heading into the professional game will be on expanding her skillset beyond the post.
“It’s about continuing to work on my skills there, preparing my one-on-one game, trying to spread the floor a little bit more if I can, and continuing to grow in all aspects,” Betts said. “Defensively, that’s going to be really key for me — being able to switch out on guards. That’s something I take a lot of pride in.”
Rice, meanwhile, said she is approaching the draft with a focus on the right organizational fit.
“I think just an environment where I can go in, make an impact, learn from the people around me, and play with really high-quality people in a high-quality organization,” Rice said. “I’m excited to go somewhere new and have the ability to learn from the players around me, the management, the coaches, and help impact the people around me.”
Women’s Basketball’s Moment
Rice has been vocal throughout the NCAA Tournament about the broader wave women’s sports is riding, and Thursday’s event gave her another platform to reinforce that message.
“To see the growth of women’s basketball and women’s sports over these past few years has been really fantastic,” Rice said. “The support, the love that we get — all the congratulations that we’ve been getting over the past few days has been really fun. That obviously shows that when you invest in women’s sports, you get a great turnout.”
“There are a lot of people interested in our stories, who want to cover us, who want to hear what we have to say. It’s just really cool to have opportunities like this and be playing women’s sports at a time when we’re truly growing at a high level.”
Thursday’s celebration was part of a coast-to-coast Raising Cane’s championship tour. While Betts and Rice served fans in Los Angeles, Michigan men’s basketball champions Nimari Burnett and Charlie May held their own event simultaneously in Ann Arbor.
The WNBA Draft takes place Monday, April 13.
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