UCLA Bruins Shatter WNBA Draft Records with Five First-Round Stars

NEW YORK — Barely a week after routing South Carolina 78-52 for their first NCAA women's basketball championship on April 5, UCLA's Bruins turned the 2026 WNBA Draft into a record-breaking coronation. Five Bruins heard their names called in the expanded 15-pick first round, with six selected overall — the most from any college program in draft history. The feat topped previous marks by Tennessee (1999, 2008), Notre Dame (2019) and South Carolina (2023), none of which placed all five in the first round.[1][2] Leading the charge was 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts, the first Bruin off the board at No. 4 to the Washington Mystics. Gabriela Jaquez followed at No. 5 to the Chicago Sky, then expansion franchise Toronto Tempo grabbed point guard Kiki Rice at No. 6. The Mystics doubled down with Angela Dugalic at No. 9, and Gianna Kneepkens capped the first-round haul at No. 15 to the Connecticut Sun.[1][2] A sixth Bruin, likely Charlisse Leger-Walker, rounded out the selections in Round 2.[1][3] UCLA's 37-1 season — capped by seniors scoring all 156 points across Final Four wins — fueled the draft dominance. "It's really hard to sum up because there's so much," Jaquez said post-draft, capturing the whirlwind from campus title to pro futures.[1] Betts, Rice, Jaquez, Dugalic and Kneepkens formed the core of UCLA's starting lineup, projected as top talents entering the night.[3] The expanded first round, now 15 picks due to league growth including Toronto, amplified UCLA's achievement. Prior benchmarks included UConn's four first-rounders in 2005 and South Carolina's five total picks in 2023 after their Final Four run, with Aliyah Boston going No. 1.[1][3] Notre Dame's 2019 class packed five within the top 20 overall.[3] UCLA's haul sets a new standard for college-to-pro pipelines. As the Bruins' stars disperse to training camps, their legacy bridges college glory and WNBA contention. Mystics GM Sheila Johnson called Betts a "generational talent," while Sky officials praised Jaquez's versatility. With UCLA's blueprint, expect copycats — but none may match this historic night.[1][2]