UCLA head coach Cori Close isn’t waiting for the WNBA draft to start her star point guard’s campaign. With the WNBA draft date now set for April 13, thanks to a new CBA deal, the focus shifts to the next generation of stars. Cori Close is making it clear that one of her players is a can’t-miss prospect, sending a direct message to WNBA GMs.

And that player is UCLA point guard Kiki Rice. The floor general averages 15.3 points, 6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 steals. She is shooting 50% from the field and 38.1% from the three-point line. She is the engine behind the Big Ten Champions and the 31-1 UCLA Bruins. Nevertheless, Coach Cori Close praised a quality from behind the scenes while appealing to WNBA teams to take notice. 

Close posted a video of Rice’s workouts at the program. She is going one-on-one with the practice players. The drill included other practice players at different places on the court, including behind Rice, to give it a more match-adjacent feel. It also had a passing outlet for Rice if she chooses to use it. And every shot fell like butter.  

“Whichever @wnba team gets @kiki_rice0 will be getting a difference maker in work ethic, team culture, & performance,” Close wrote. “Her intentional work never stops. (This is from early morning yesterday)  Thanks to the managers, the UCLA scout team, and of course @CoachTasha for showing up no matter the time.  Ki, you are spectacular! #WorkInTheDark #programchanger.”

It’s not only her metrics that are impressive. It’s also the fact that she has improved every year. There is almost no metric in which Rice’s performance has remained the same or declined. The graph is up. Her defensive abilities should not be taken lightly as well. She is a fierce perimeter defender and often guards the toughest assignment in every game. 

Despite Lauren Betts grabbing the spotlight in this UCLA team, Rice is arguably the most valuable player they have, with 8.2 Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game (via Barttorvik), which is the highest in the squad. Rice’s IQ, ability to run the floor, and maturity would be highly valued qualities among WNBA scouts. Currently, USA Today has Rice going at No. 5 to the Chicago Sky.

“It wouldn’t be surprising if she catches the eye of the Chicago Sky with a statement push in the NCAA Tournament,” Megan Hall wrote. “Chicago needs guard depth and a potential starter as its starting point guard, Courtney Vandersloot, recovers from a torn ACL in her right knee.” The IX Basketball scout Hunter Cruse actually has her going at No. 4 and Betts at No. 5.

“I’m a huge believer in Kiki’s year-over-year development across the board & there’s more scalability with her to fill different roles if she isn’t a star,” he wrote. “Betts’ 90th percentile outcome is definitely higher, but I don’t think it’s so much higher to make up for the floor.” Her value as a passer and a defender is weighed in gold. Rice could even gain another bump if she really steps up for UCLA, especially considering the teams she is facing. 

Kiki Rice Shares Internal Conversation With Cori Close And Co. After Getting Tough Bracket

UCLA was in the running for the No. 1 overall seed. With more Quad 1 wins and more wins over ranked opponents, they had a genuine chance. Ultimately, it was the unbeaten UConn that got the nod, leaving UCLA as the No. 2 overall. More importantly, UCLA received a very tough path to the title. 

After Cal Baptist in the first round, they can face No. 8 Oklahoma State or Princeton. They have the likes of Ole Miss, Gonzaga, Minnesota, and Green Bay as potential Sweet 16 opponents. In the Elite Eight, they could once again face LSU or Duke. Any of these opponents can potentially knock UCLA out. Yet, Kiki Rice is unbothered. 

“Definitely a ton of great teams in that bracket, but honestly, at this point of the year, we talked about this as a team, it’s like in order to go deep in the tournament, you’re going to have to beat good teams,” Rice said in an interview with Hoops 360. “So, I think every single game is going to be great preparation for the next game, and we’re going to play really good teams early on, and that’s something that we haven’t shied away from all this season. So, just excited about some really big matchups that will definitely happen in that bracket.”

That’s the mentality that makes Rice a very unique player in the upcoming draft. Teams can rely on her to grow from where she is right now. She is in for the long haul. Now, March Madness will challenge her big-game temperament. It will be the ultimate litmus test before teams can be sure of Rice as a potential piece in their respective championship puzzles. First, she needs to perform for Cori to get that elusive title.