The future of the WNBA is looking very blue and gold. Fresh off cutting down the nets as national champions, the UCLA Bruins are set to make a massive splash at the professional level, with five of their stars receiving coveted invitations to attend the 2026 WNBA Draft in person.

Center Lauren Betts, guard Kiki Rice, forward Gabriela Jaquez, guard Gianna Kneepkens, and forward Angela Dugalic have all booked their trips to New York, where they will walk the special "Orange Carpet" on April 13th before hearing their names called to begin the next chapter of their basketball careers.

This remarkable showing is a direct testament to the powerhouse roster Head Coach Cori Close assembled in Westwood. The Bruins' championship run was fueled by an unmatched combination of experience and defensive intensity, with their entire starting five plus key reserve Angela Dugalic all being seniors or graduate students.

That veteran savvy created an almost unstoppable synergy, culminating in their dominant victory over South Carolina for the title. Now, that same core group is poised to take the WNBA by storm, with projections suggesting as many as five of UCLA's six seniors could be selected in the first round.

While Charlisse Leger-Walker, the field general for the title team, was not invited to attend in person, she is still projected as a high second-round pick following a stellar graduate season. The Dallas Wings hold the first overall pick, followed by the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm, meaning several franchises are about to get a whole lot tougher with a infusion of championship DNA from UCLA.