{"id":605047,"date":"2026-04-15T05:45:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T05:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/605047\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T05:45:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T05:45:09","slug":"jaime-jaquez-jr-gushes-over-sister-gabrielas-awesome-week-after-ucla-title-wnba-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/605047\/","title":{"rendered":"Jaime Jaquez Jr. Gushes Over Sister Gabriela\u2019s Awesome Week After UCLA Title, WNBA Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. was so excited to talk about how proud he is of his little sister Gabriela after she was drafted with the No. 5 pick by the Sky in Monday night\u2019s WNBA draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Since Jaquez was preparing for Tuesday night\u2019s Heat\u2013Hornets play-in tournament game<\/a>, he wasn\u2019t able to attend the draft in New York City to support his sister in person. He did FaceTime his family after WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert called Jaquez\u2019s name. Jaquez was one of six UCLA stars to be selected on Monday night, setting a new record for the most players from one program being drafted on the same night.<\/p>\n

Gabriela’s brother Jaime FaceTimed in to watch his sister get drafted!<\/p>\n

Jaime has a play-in game with the Heat tomorrow.#WNBADraft<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/GG6Y8oW0fk<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The Miami star knows what it\u2019s like to be drafted in the first round (he was selected 18th in the 2023 NBA draft), but he can\u2019t fully understand the month his little sister\u2019s been experiencing. The new WNBA rookie is coming off a national title win with UCLA last week, which the NBA star got to attend. Last Wednesday, the Bruins and their fans celebrated the championship win on campus with a rally. Less than a week later, Jaquez became a top-five pick in the WNBA. Her basketball dreams are all coming true in a matter of weeks.<\/p>\n

Jaquez Jr. spoke to reporters on Tuesday before the play-in game and gushed about how excited he is for his sister achieving all these incredible feats.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust really so proud of her,\u201d Jaquez said. \u201cAmazing for the UCLA women\u2019s team\u2014I mean [five] in the first round is pretty incredible. Overall it\u2019s an amazing moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jaime Jaquez Jr on his sister Gabriela
Jaquez being selected 5th overall in the WNBA Draft\u2764\ufe0f<\/p>\n

\u201cJust really so proud of her\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe got the Natty, she got drafted top five \u2014 I mean I can\u2019t name a person who\u2019s having a better week than her right now\u201d<\/p>\n

(via Miami Heat YT) pic.twitter.com\/NF8WTxVzMM<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 The HEAT Realm (@WadexFlash) April 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

He was then jokingly asked whether the younger Jaquez was better than him since she was selected earlier in the draft. Jaquez responded in a perfect way.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, if that’s how you want to put it out, she\u2019ll take it,\u201d Jaquez responded. \u201cShe\u2019s got the Natty, she got drafted top five. I can\u2019t name another person who\u2019s having a better week than her right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for what Jaquez told his sister on the phone after she was drafted, here\u2019s what he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just told her how proud I was, and how this is such an amazing moment, and that Chicago\u2019s beautiful in the summertime.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since being drafted by the Heat in 2023, Jaquez continues to improve each season as a key bench player for the Miami squad. This season, Jaquez averaged career highs with 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. <\/p>\n

As for his sister, she just completed her fourth and final year at UCLA. The forward started in all 38 games for the Bruins on their championship run, averaging 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. In UCLA\u2019s 79\u201351 championship win over South Carolina on April 5, Jaquez scored a team-high 21 points and recorded 10 rebounds and five assists. Posting a double-double while winning a national title is an impressive feat. <\/p>\n

Now she\u2019ll take her talents to Chicago. The Sky open their 2026 season on Saturday, May 9 against the new expansion team, the Portland Fire. You can expect her brother to be supporting her either in the stands or from afar this season.<\/p>\n

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