Lauren Betts is one of the top players in the country and a prospective top-five pick in the 2025 WNBA draft. Too bad the league will have to wait one more season, as she decided to forgo the draft and return for her senior season with the Bruins.
For UCLA’s Lauren Betts, Family is Everything
Born to former athletes, Lauren’s parents, Michelle and Andrew, guided her through the trials and tribulations on her road to stardom.
Her father, Andrew, is a former professional basketball player. He played at Long Island University Post for three years before finishing his collegiate career at Cal State Long Beach, where he was one of the top big men in the conference.
He averaged a double-double with the Beach, posting 18.7 pts and 10.1 rebs while shooting 54% from the field.
Born in England, he discovered his basketball talents when people noticed his large frame. At just 14 years old, he was already 6’8″ and towered over kids his age. He’d eventually grow 7’1″ at Long Beach State and found himself on NBA draft radars.
Declaring for the draft in 1998, the Charlotte Hornets selected him 50th overall. However, he would instead start his professional career in the Italian A League, eventually playing for 10 European teams across multiple leagues in countries like Italy, Spain, Ukraine, and Greece.
Lauren’s mother, Michelle, is also a former athlete. She played D1 volleyball at Long Beach State, winning a national championship in 1993.
After playing, she served as an academic advisor for student-athletes. During her tenure, she gained valuable experience and truly understood the mind of an athlete. This knowledge and wisdom became crucial in helping Lauren navigate her career.
Lauren faced many insecurities at a young age. She often felt left out in middle school because of her six-foot frame. Towering over other girls, she found solace in basketball; it became her safe place.
Her parents guided her unrelenting focus and drive, stemming back to a conversation she had with her dad when they realized she was destined for greatness. He stressed that nothing is given, but anything is achievable through hard work and dedication.
Lauren has carried those words throughout her life. However, there came a time when the idea of perfection became a problem for her psyche.
UCLA’s head coach, Cori Close, described it best: “Most women think they’re not as good as they are. Most men think they’re better than they are. I want to do everything I can to have the right loop in their heads.”
In other words, Lauren was obsessed with perfection, and anytime she was anything other than perfect, it was a problem. This obsession meant that anytime she missed a shot or performed poorly overall, people would ridicule her and think less of her.
“When people don’t see me as, like, almost perfect sometimes, I’m like, ‘Oh, my God.'”
Even her teammate, UCLA’s guard Kiki Rice said, “A lot of it is created in her own head.”
Lauren’s mother, Michelle, and coach Close helped her understand four crucial principles from legendary coach John Wooden.
- “You need to talk to yourself rather than listen to yourself.”
- “All of you are welcome here.”
- “Guard what you put in your mind like you guard your phone or your car.”
- “Wounds are deeper than convictions, and if you don’t deal with your wounds, they overpower your convictions.”
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This direction and guidance was the complete opposite during her short stint at Stanford, her former dream school.
When her mom asked her about her confidence and support from legendary coach Tara VanDerveer on a scale of one to ten, she quietly stated, “Maybe a three. I didn’t really want to talk to anybody. I just wanted to leave Stanford.”
As soon as the transfer portal opened, her mom made it clear a change needed to be made: ” You’re gonna get the hell out of here.” And so she did and never looked back.
With a newfound attitude and motivation, Lauren and the Bruins enter this year’s March Madness as the top-ranked team in the nation. Her confidence couldn’t be higher after they defeated their rival USC Trojans to take home the Big 10 crown.
She hopes to leave a legacy for her younger sister, Sienna, the second-ranked recruit who recently committed to UCLA.
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