The 2026 WNBA Draft was a landmark moment for Los Angeles basketball, though the spotlight shone brightest on Westwood. While USC had a quiet night, crosstown rival UCLA made history, seeing a staggering six players selected within the top 18 picks.

That Bruins haul included two of the draft's premier talents: center Lauren Betts, taken 4th overall, and forward Angela Dugalic, selected 9th overall. Both are headed to the nation's capital, drafted by the Washington Mystics. There, they'll encounter a familiar face from the other side of one of college sports' fiercest rivalries.

Awaiting them in Washington is former USC star Kiki Iriafen, the Mystics' top pick from the 2025 draft. It seems the Mystics have a clear strategy: tap into the talent pipeline from Southern California. By uniting Iriafen, Betts, and Dugalic, Washington is building its future around a dynamic young core forged in the heat of the USC-UCLA showdown.

For Betts and Iriafen, this professional union is actually a reunion. Their basketball paths first converged at Stanford, where they were Cardinal teammates during the 2022-23 season. After their collegiate careers diverged onto opposite sides of LA's great divide, destiny has brought them back together. Now, the task is to channel that elite experience and competitive fire into a single, unified force for the Mystics.