{"id":314871,"date":"2025-11-29T18:50:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-29T18:50:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/314871\/"},"modified":"2025-11-29T18:50:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T18:50:15","slug":"ucla-has-3-first-round-picks-including-lauren-betts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/314871\/","title":{"rendered":"UCLA has 3 First Round Picks, Including Lauren Betts"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the deadline for the WNBA<\/a> and WNBPA to come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement just days away, college basketball is in full swing. There weren\u2019t too many players who hurt their stock in the early goings, but we do have a few players who climbed the rankings this time around.<\/p>\n

One significant change from the last mock to this one is that the draft order below, except for the order of the expansion teams, is now completely accurate, as the WNBA draft lottery was held just a few days ago.<\/p>\n

1) Dallas Wings
\nLauren Betts, C, UCLA<\/p>\n

Lauren Betts missed UCLA\u2019s last game against Duke due to an injury, but before that, she had picked up where she left off defensively, although her offense was off to a slow start. She had a nice game against 11th-ranked North Carolina in the Bruins\u2019 78-60 win<\/a>, with a well-rounded performance of 20 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks, and seven assists. It remains to be seen whether her slow offensive start is due to her injury or if she needs to adjust something in her game, but it will take more than five games for me to consider replacing her at this top spot.<\/p>\n

2) Minnesota Lynx (via CHI)
\nAzzi Fudd, G, UConn<\/p>\n

With a championship pedigree and an expanded game in her extended role this season, it would be an embarrassment of riches if the Lynx could bring her in and continue their quest to become the next WNBA champion. Fudd is averaging 21 points per game, with 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists, and has taken on a higher responsibility role in this offense, and is passing with flying colors. Look for UConn to be in the mix at the end of the season, and Fudd to further cement her top-two status.<\/p>\n

3) Seattle Storm (via LA)
\nOlivia Miles, G, TCU<\/p>\n

So far, so good for Olivia Miles on her new team, as she is averaging an impressive 18.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game, and the Horned Frogs have won each of their first seven games with her at the helm. Miles may have more upside than we thought at first, and can be the answer at point guard for the Storm for the long term.<\/p>\n

4) Washington Mystics
\nAwa Fam, C, Spain<\/p>\n

Awa Fam hasn\u2019t played much to this point in Spain, but one could see her as the most talented player in this draft when all is set and done. Her focus is on coming stateside and joining the WNBA to develop with some of the world\u2019s best coaches. In the interim, this pick makes sense from an upside perspective for Washington, as they possess another pick later in this draft.<\/p>\n

5) Chicago Sky (via CON)
\nFlau\u2019Jae Johnson, G, LSU<\/p>\n

While there are reports that Johnson and Angel Reese had tension off the court<\/a>, the results of them playing together are undeniable, as evidenced by their 2023 NCAA Championship performance. A player with that much chemistry on the court when paired with Reese would be a perfect fit at guard for the Sk, who have issues at the position.<\/p>\n

6) Portland Fire
\nTa\u2019Niya Latson, G, South Carolina<\/p>\n

Ta\u2019Niya Latson has shown the ability to play in a high-usage role (25.2 PPG last season at Florida State) and in a part of a more balanced offense (18.2 PPG this season) at an extremely high level. I think that an expansion team would be wise to build around her and her all-around promising game.<\/p>\n

7) Toronto Tempo
\nGianna Kneepkens, G, UCLA<\/p>\n

Even in a \u201cslow\u201d start, Giannia Kneepkens is still shooting 38.5% from three, which for most players would be more than acceptable, but if her past seasons at Utah are indicative of anything, it is that she will improve on this mark. Regardless, she is still averaging 13.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in one of the most lethal and balanced offenses in the nation.<\/p>\n

8) Golden State Valkyries
\nCotie McMahon, F, Ole Miss<\/p>\n

Cotie McMahon has been balling for Ole Miss, having at least 18 points in each of the last four games, and grabbing at least nine rebounds in each of her previous three. She can shoot from distance, create turnovers, and has her shooting percentage up to 56.1%, which would be a career high<\/a>. This may turn out to be the steal of the draft, helping Golden State maintain its playoff spot.<\/p>\n

9) Washington Mystics (via SEA)
\nSerah Williams, F, UConn<\/p>\n

A key rotational piece for UConn, Serah Williams\u2019 per-36 numbers really pop off the charts. Williams is averaging 14.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and two blocks per 36 minutes, and the ability to immediately come in and fill this role will be key for Washington.<\/p>\n

10) Indiana Fever
\nKiki Rice, G, UCLA<\/p>\n

With the news that Sophie Cunningham will be leaving the W, bringing in a talented, well-rounded guard like Kiki Rice can help fill that void and keep the Fever from feeling that hit too hard. She has picked up her game of late, too, as she has scored exactly 17 points in each of the last three games, showing that she was comfortable in Lauren Betts\u2019 absence, being the focal point of the offense.<\/p>\n

11) Washington Mystics (via NY)
\nIyana Martin Carrion, G, Spain<\/p>\n

After a strong performance at the most recent EuroBasket Women, and continued success in the youth circuits, I have Iyana Martin Carrion entering the first round here. She turns 20 this January and was named Euroleague Young Player of the Year in her first season with Perfumerias Avenida.<\/p>\n

12) Connecticut Sun (via PHX)
\nAshlon Jackson, G, Duke<\/p>\n

With the Sun being the worst three-point shooting team in the WNBA last season, I still think that bringing in Ashlon Jackson would be a significant improvement to their roster. She has started this season a little cold, but she was four of nine from beyond the arc in their last game against UCLA, so maybe a breakout is on the horizon.<\/p>\n

13) Atlanta Dream
\nYarden Garzon, G, Maryland<\/p>\n

Yarden Garzon took a bit to carve out her role with her new team, which came as a bit of a shock, but now she has at least twelve points in three of her last four games, and in the one she didn\u2019t, she only played 20 minutes in a tune-up game. Her per-36 stats are on par with her career numbers, and she has showcased a well-rounded game.<\/p>\n

14) Seattle Storm (via LV)
\nDarianna Littlepage-Buggs, F, Baylor<\/p>\n

Darianna Littlepage-Buggs is definitely getting more attention than when I had her in my first mock, as she is flexing her rebounding prowess night in and night out. She has had at least ten rebounds in six of Baylor\u2019s eight games so far, while also averaging nearly a block and a steal a game.<\/p>\n

15) Connecticut Sun (via MIN)
\nNell Angloma, F, France<\/p>\n

This play is a combination of the new coach, Rachid Meziane, having ties to France, and Agloma\u2019s performance in the U19 Women\u2019s World Cup. She averaged 17 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, and doesn\u2019t turn 20 until next June. She possesses the ideal size for a WNBA wing, and her game appears to have massive upside. I think Meziane will want to be the one to realize it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With the deadline for the WNBA and WNBPA to come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":314872,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[629],"tags":[49,48,82,630],"class_list":["post-314871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wnba","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-sports","tag-wnba"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=314871"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314871\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/314872"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=314871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=314871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=314871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}