UCLA Makes WNBA Draft History, Surpassing 2002 UConn's Legendary Class

After winning their first NCAA championship, the UCLA Bruins made history again at the 2026 WNBA Draft.

(Photo by Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images)

The Bruins became the first program in draft history to have five players drafted in the first round in the same class, with Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice, Angela Dugalić, and Gianna Kneepkens all hearing their names called before the opening round ended. Charlisse Leger-Walker was next off the board in the second round, giving UCLA six total players drafted, setting another all-time record.

Natty title to Draft Night

All six UCLA seniors heard their name called last night, etching @UCLAWBB into #WNBADraft history! pic.twitter.com/QLkd2nj8Rd

— WNBA (@WNBA) April 14, 2026

The historic haul shattered the previous benchmark set by the 2002 UConn team, which landed four players in the first round after a 39-0 season. Sue Bird went No. 1 overall, followed by Swin Cash at No. 2, Asjha Jones at No. 4, and Tamika Williams at No. 6. That class had stood as the gold standard in women’s college basketball for nearly a quarter century.

UCLA’s 2025-26 squad went 37-1 and won the program’s first modern-era national title.

Record-Breaking Night, Pick by Pick

Betts, a 6-foot-7 center, went fourth overall to the Washington Mystics, the highest selection of any Bruin on the night. Jaquez followed immediately at No. 5, heading to the Chicago Sky, and Rice was taken sixth overall by expansion franchise Toronto Tempo to complete a stunning three-pick run at the top of the draft.

Lauren Betts is headed to the Washington Mystics with the 4th overall pick.#WNBADraft pic.twitter.com/uyXJ2pUAST

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 13, 2026

Dugalić joined Betts in Washington, selected ninth overall by the Mystics. Then, with the 15th and final pick of the first round, the Connecticut Sun drafted Kneepkens to officially cement UCLA’s place in the record books.

Leger-Walker then went 18th overall, also to the Connecticut Sun, making her the first New Zealand-born player ever drafted into the WNBA.

A Team-First Formula That Paid Off

The chemistry that powered UCLA’s championship run was evident long before draft night. While celebrating with Kiki Rice at an event hosted by Raising Cane’s in Los Angeles before the draft, Betts reflected on what set this group apart from the jump.

Gabriela Jaquez is the 5th overall pick and headed to the Chicago Sky!#WNBADraft pic.twitter.com/0ZFmbk6ARx

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 13, 2026

“I think just the joy that we had and the love that we had for each other,” Betts said. “It’s really amazing to see a team that can compete at such a high level and win a national championship, but still have so much love and joy and just enjoy each other’s company. I think that’s going to be something that people remember for a long time.”

Rice pointed to a specific shift in the team’s identity as the moment everything clicked.

“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.”

The Loss That Changed Everything

UCLA’s lone blemish — a regular-season defeat to Texas — proved to be a defining moment rather than a setback.

“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.”

Standing Alongside the Greatest Classes in History

Tennessee (1999, 2008), Notre Dame (2019), and South Carolina (2023) all had five players selected in single drafts, but none placed all five in the first round. UCLA’s class now stands alone.

The comparison to the 2002 UConn team carries real weight. That group helped define a generation of women’s basketball and launched Hall of Fame careers. Despite not having a prospect selected in the top three, the Bruins’ 2026 class will be measured against that standard for years to come.

“I take a ton of pride in being just, ‘I’m the best teammate.'”

Kiki Rice tells @sportsiren about how hyped she is to get to work in Toronto pic.twitter.com/fnYUrCRMFC

— espnW (@espnW) April 13, 2026

Rice sees the moment as part of something much bigger than one program.

“To see the growth of women’s basketball and women’s sports over these past few years has been really fantastic,” Rice said. “When you invest in women’s sports, you get a great turnout.”

Betts shared that same sense of gratitude for those who came before them.

“We don’t take that for granted,” Betts said. “They’re setting the stage for people like us to have amazing opportunities and to set ourselves up for life.”