At one point, Lauren Betts seemed like the obvious No. 1 pick for the 2026 WNBA draft. She was scoring in bunches as a Junior and grabbing rebounds like they were candy. Slowly but surely, competitors emerged. Awa Fam from Spain dropped Betts to No. 2 with her international flavor and adaptable talent. Once the Dallas Wings won the No. 1 pick, Azzi Fudd went to No. 1 in the ESPN mock draft, leaving Betts behind. Now, Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham has given her take on Betts’ draft stock.

The UCLA star has already made it clear that she is focused on UCLA right now. “I don’t have a lot to say about that right now, but that is really amazing, and I’m excited to see what the future holds,” Betts told reporters following the win against Southern back in November. “But I just love being a Bruin as of right now, so I’m going to focus on that.” And yet, the debates rage on. According to Sophie Cunningham, Betts is the best option for a team that needs a big. 

“If I were on a team that needs a big, I would get the UCLA girl, Betts,” Cunningham said on the latest episode of the ‘Show Me Something’ podcast. So, I think she’s big. She has a lot of potential. I mean, she needs some work, but great body and a great feel for the game. She’d be good.”

Betts’ size at 6’7 is her biggest virtue, along with her IQ. She maneuvers around defenders with ease despite her size. She is a great rim defender with 4 defensive stocks and +4.3 defensive net points this season, per ESPN Analytics. Yet her box score numbers have decreased drastically in 2026. After averaging 20.1 points last year, she has averaged 16.4 points this year. She had 9.5 rebounds per game, which has dropped to 8.6 rebounds. 

However, she is taking on more creative duties as the opposing team scouts her out. Her assist numbers are up from 2.7 assists per game to 3.2, with her usage stepping up slightly. She has led UCLA to back-to-back Big Ten Titles and a 31-1 record this year. But the main issue remains that she can’t shoot. Betts is a pretty one-dimensional player, as she has yet to attempt a three-point shot. 

Even from midrange, she is 37.8% while shooting only 13.1% of her shots from there. This is something many doubt makes her unsuitable for the modern WNBA. Sophie Cunningham did not specifically point out this drawback, but mentioned how the game as a whole has changed in the last few years. 

“A lot of bigs, unless they’re like super dominant, you know, like down low, unstoppable, fine. But like, if you’re an A’ja Wilson, yeah, sometimes she can knock down the three,” Cunningham said. “Nowadays, your big people even need to know how to handle the ball and need to know how to shoot. Like that’s how the game is trending.”

Examples like Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, and, now, Aliyah Boston, especially after her Unrivaled development, spring to mind. Elite teams want bigs who can shoot, and Betts doesn’t fit that category yet. But, as Sophie Cunningham said, if the team requires a traditional big, she is still a great fit. Beyond that, Betts can gain an advantage over her peers by standing out at the NCAA tournament. 

Lauren Betts’ NCAA Tournament Performance May Decide Her Draft Fate

In the latest mock draft from The Athletic, Lauren Betts is at No. 4, going to the Washington Mystics. The players above her are Olivia Miles from TCU, Azzi Fudd from UConn, and Awa Fam. The real competition is between Fam and Betts for the No. 1 pick, with Fudd in the running as well. Because the Wings already have guards in Paige Bueckers, JJ Quinerly, and Aziaha James.

What they realistically need is a center. Of course, they can roll the dice, and Fudd and her talent could make it work regardless. But the safe route is to draft a center, especially because there are good options. Now that they have hired Jose Fernandez, best known for his international scouting and connections, Fam is ahead in the race.

However, if Betts can impress at the biggest stage, that could change. Especially because Fam doesn’t have the same chance, she is playing for Valencia in the Euro League, averaging 7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game against senior players, playing 20.5 minutes per game. She will take time to acclimate to the American basketball style. 

An example of what this might look like is Dominique Malonga, who was drafted 2nd overall by the Seattle Storm. She came off the bench and only came into her own during the final quarter of the season. But Dallas needs someone who can contribute immediately and pair up with Bueckers. Of course, they can make trades in the market and bring in veteran centers. It depends on the approach the Wings take. Regardless, if Betts grabs the NCAA tournament opportunity and somehow upstages Azzi Fudd, the national championship favorite, her draft stock will go through the roof.