After winning the program’s first NCAA title in history in April, six UCLA women’s basketball players were drafted in the WNBA. The Bruins set a league record for the most players drafted from the same school in the same draft class.
Spread across four different WNBA franchises, five of the six drafted Bruins made their WNBA career debuts on Friday during Opening Night of the 2026 season.
Third Team All-American Kiki Rice and the Toronto Tempo both made debuts in the WNBA on Friday against the Washington Mystics, which features Big Ten Player of the Year Lauren Betts and Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year Angela Dugalić.
National chip 🤝 W debuts
Former @uclawbb teammates Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, and Angela Dugalić embrace after making their WNBA debuts!
WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by @CarMax pic.twitter.com/sqAJKzpud3
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 9, 2026
The Tempo drafted Rice with the No. 6 overall pick, making her the franchise’s first draft selection in history ahead of the expansion team’s inaugural season. Rice recorded three rebounds and an assist across 18 minutes against the Mystics.
Washington ultimately defeated Toronto 68-65. Betts and Dugalić, who the Mystics drafted with the No. 4 and the No. 9 overall picks, each played 12 minutes off the bench on Friday. Dugalić scored two points and picked up two rebounds, while Betts led bench players with five rebounds and an assist.
Gianna Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker also made their WNBA debuts on Friday with the Connecticut Sun. The Sun drafted Kneepkens with the No. 15 overall pick and Leger-Walker with the No. 18 pick.
Kneepkens and Leger-Walker both came off the bench for the Sun but played significant minutes in their debuts.
Leger-Walker played 21 minutes, which was the most for a player coming off the bench. During that time, she logged four points, two rebounds and an assist. Meanwhile, Kneepkens recorded seven points, five rebounds and an assist across 13 minutes on Friday.
The sixth and final Bruin waiting to make her WNBA debut is Gabriela Jaquez. Jaquez, who was the No. 5 overall pick in the WNBA Draft, will make her debut with the Chicago Sky against the Portland Fire in Portland on Saturday at 6:00 pm PT.
Photo Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
The post Five Former UCLA Stars Make WNBA Debuts During Opening Night appeared first on LA Sports Report.
