Fresh off the heels of leading UCLA to the national championship, Lauren Betts on Monday was selected by the Washington Mystics with the No. 4 overall pick in the WNBA draft.
The 6-foot-7 defensive stalwart — who starred at Grandview High School in Aurora — led the Bruins with 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks this season. The center was named the NCAA Tournament’s most outstanding player and was named to the Associated Press’ All-America first team.
Betts, 22, becomes the highest-drafted Colorado prep star in the league, getting selected two spots higher than fellow Grandview standout Michaela Onyenwere, who was picked No. 6 by Chicago in 2021. The two former Wolves stars are the only Colorado prep athletes to be selected in the first round of the WNBA draft. And now, they’re also going to be teammates in Washington.
Colorado Buffaloes guard Mya Hollingshed also shares a Centennial State connection, having also been picked in the first round in 2022 by Las Vegas with the No. 8 pick.
National grades
Here’s a look at how national media outlets are grading Betts’ pick:
As a traditional center in a rapidly evolving game, Betts is a polarizing prospect, but she is the best rim protector in this class and has significantly improved her defensive mobility. There are fair questions about how her offense will translate to the pros, and how she’ll fit next to Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin, but she’s too big and talented defensively to pass on here.
“Shakira Austin’s decision to re-sign with the Mystics makes Betts’ fit slightly more curious. Nevertheless, she was the best player available at this point in the draft. Her defensive prowess — both as a rim protector and in space — should fit nicely in a Washington side teeming with youthfulness.”
“Washington continues to load up on elite prospects with Betts, who will join the outstanding young core of Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Georgia Amoore and Shakira Austin in D.C. Betts may come off the bench early in her career with Austin playing center, depending on what kind of system Washington wants to run this year. However, you can’t deny the talent and upside Betts has entering the league. It’s not a bad problem for Washington to have. The team is building a juggernaut on paper as all of this young talent develops together. Just depends on where everyone fits. We also love that Betts will now play with one of her UCLA coaches, Michaela Onyenwere, in Washington. How cool.”
