Lauren Betts’ ‘NATTY MF CHAMPS’ Pride After UCLA’s 79-51 Rout Triggers Angel Reese’s 2-Word Reaction
UCLA Bruins’ 79-51 win in the national championship game over the South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday was a historic blowout. The Bruins never trailed and led by as many as 35 points in the fourth quarter, clinching their first-ever NCAA women’s basketball title.
On Tuesday, Bruins center Lauren Betts beamed with pride on Instagram. Posting a picture with the trophy and several other moments from the final, she flexed the championship title.
“NATTY MF CHAMPS,” Betts wrote. “UCLA has changed my life in ways I’ll never be able to fully explain. Wearing this jersey has meant absolutely everything to me. I have so much love for everyone in this program. GO BRU🐻💙.”
“Congrats girly,” Reese wrote in the comments section.
Source: (Via Instagram/ @laurenmariebetts )
Betts was named the MOP of the 2026 NCAA Tournament following her stellar performance. She dominated the interior throughout the tournament, capping it off with a double-double in the win over South Carolina. Betts was the anchor for the Bruins, who went 37-1 this season. Her impact in the Final Four was undeniable as well.
Aside from the MOP trophy, she swept several major awards this season, including the Big Ten Player of the Year, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and Lisa Leslie Award. Lauren Betts played her senior season alongside her younger sister, Sienna Betts, who joined the team this year as a freshman.
Lauren Betts Opens Up on Leaving Stanford for UCLA
On March 19, the Players’ Tribune published a write-up in which Lauren Betts revealed Stanford did not align with her needs, both as a player and as a person.
“It’s no secret that I had a miserable freshman year at Stanford,” she wrote. “I was not thriving, mentally or physically. During that time, I was really suffering, and I felt like I had nowhere to turn. I had this mindset: If you’re not producing, you’re not worthy.”
Betts transferred to UCLA in April 2023, seeking a fresh start. However, the transition was not smooth.
“I went to UCLA wanting to do everything that I didn’t get the chance to do at Stanford,” Betts wrote. “I built up these unrealistic expectations like I need to make up for the year that I lost. I think I started off so strong, in a way, that I almost forgot that who I was at Stanford was still in there. I was still battling all the negativity and the self-hatred. I was still very fragile. Trying to balance the expectations that the people around me had for me, while still healing, was extremely hard. I couldn’t bend. I broke.”
The situation escalated to a point where Betts required hospitalization. However, that was a turning point in her life. After returning to the court, Betts’ UCLA teammates and coaches supported her unconditionally, which changed everything. It made her realize that they value her for who she is and not just for basketball.
Cut to the present, Betts is projected to be a top-five pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, which takes place on April 13. The Dallas Wings hold the No. 1 overall pick.
