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Lauren Betts First WNBA Bucket

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Draft 2026

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Which collegiate program has produced the most players drafted into the WNBA over the league’s 30 years? What about first-round picks? What about No. 1 overall picks? What about players who went on to become league MVPs? How about Finals MVPs?
If you ever see any of those trivia questions, don’t worry. We have the answers to all of them and more!
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">Schools that have produced the most overall WNBA Draft picks</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-183309 aligncenter" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Geno-1.png" alt="" width="960" height="688" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Geno-1.png 960w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Geno-1-300x215.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Geno-1-768x550.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
The two schools at the top of this list should come as no surprise as they have been the preeminent collegiate programs over the 30-year history of the WNBA – the University of Connecticut and the University of Tennessee each with over 45 players drafted into the WNBA.
Geno Auriemma has been at the helm at UConn for the entirety of the WNBA’s existence, beginning his tenure in 1985 and leading the Huskies to 12 NCAA championships. The Connecticut program has sent 52 players to the league and produced some of the best players in WNBA history, highlighted by No. 1 overall draft picks Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2004), Tina Charles (2010), Maya Moore (2011), and Breanna Stewart (2016).
The late Pat Summitt led Tennessee until 2012, winning eight national championships and sending plenty of Lady Volunteers to the WNBA. Of the 46 WNBA players drafted out of Tennessee, 29 came during Summitt’s tenure, including a pair of No. 1 overall picks in Chamique Holdsclaw (1999) and Candace Parker (2008).
Below is the list of the top nine schools and one country that have sent the most players to the WNBA via the draft (excluding the 1997 WNBA Elite Draft.)
<ul>
<li>UConn: 52 players</li>
<li>Tennessee: 46 players</li>
<li>Stanford: 31 players</li>
<li>Duke: 28 players</li>
<li>Baylor: 26 players</li>
<li>Australia: 26 players</li>
<li>South Carolina: 25 players</li>
<li>LSU: 25 players</li>
<li>Notre Dame: 24 players</li>
<li>Georgia: 24 players</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">Schools producing the most first-round draft picks</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-258773" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2270764897-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
When looking at schools that have delivered the most first-round draft picks, there&#8217;s a change from the list of most overall draft picks.
UConn, Tennessee and Stanford remain in first, second and third place, respectively. South Carolina enters the conversation after touting two players in the first round of the 2026 WNBA Draft, bringing their total to 15 to round out the top four. Duke and Baylor are tied for fifth place with 11 players.
<ul>
<li>Connecticut: 29 players (last in 2026 – Azzi Fudd, No. 1, DAL)</li>
<li>Tennessee: 21 players (last in 2024 – Rickea Jackson, No. 4, LAS)</li>
<li>Stanford: 15 players (last in 2024 – Cameron Brink, No. 2, LAS)</li>
<li>South Carolina: 15 players (last in 2026 – Madina Okot, No. 13, ATL)</li>
<li>Duke: 11 players (last in 2018 – Lexie Brown, No. 9, CON)</li>
<li>Baylor: 11 players (last in 2022 – Queen Egbo, No. 10, IND)</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">Schools producing the most No. 1 overall picks</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-183311 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Top-picks-1.png" alt="Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, Tina Charles, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird pictured during a WNBA All-Star game" width="940" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Top-picks-1.png 940w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Top-picks-1-300x204.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Top-picks-1-768x523.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px" />
UConn holds a commanding lead with seven first-overall picks. South Carolina joins Notre Dame, Stanford, and Tennessee, with two players going first overall and holding a four-way tie for second place.
<table style="height: 120px;width: 100%;border-collapse: collapse" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px;text-align: center">SCHOOL</td>
<td style="width: 7.20528%;height: 24px;text-align: center">NO.</td>
<td style="width: 34.4978%;height: 24px;text-align: center">NAME</td>
<td style="width: 18.2314%;height: 24px;text-align: center">YEAR</td>
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px;text-align: center">TEAM</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">UConn</td>
<td style="width: 7.20528%;height: 24px">7</td>
<td style="width: 34.4978%;height: 24px">Sue Bird 
Diana Taurasi 
Tina Charles 
Maya Moore 
Breanna Stewart 
Paige Bueckers 
Azzi Fudd</td>
<td style="width: 18.2314%;height: 24px">2002 
2004 
2010 
2011 
2016 
2025 
2026</td>
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Seattle 
Phoenix 
Connecticut 
Minnesota 
Seattle 
Dallas 
Dallas</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 19.9782%">South Carolina</td>
<td style="width: 7.20528%">2</td>
<td style="width: 34.4978%">Aliyah Boston 
A&#8217;ja Wilson</td>
<td style="width: 18.2314%">2023 
2018</td>
<td style="width: 19.9782%">Indiana 
Las Vegas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Notre Dame</td>
<td style="width: 7.20528%;height: 24px">2</td>
<td style="width: 34.4978%;height: 24px">Jewell Loyd 
Jackie Young</td>
<td style="width: 18.2314%;height: 24px">2015 
2019</td>
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Seattle 
Las Vegas</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Stanford</td>
<td style="width: 7.20528%;height: 24px">2</td>
<td style="width: 34.4978%;height: 24px">Nneka Ogwumike 
Chiney Ogwumike</td>
<td style="width: 18.2314%;height: 24px">2012 
2014</td>
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Los Angeles 
Connecticut</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Tennessee</td>
<td style="width: 7.20528%;height: 24px">2</td>
<td style="width: 34.4978%;height: 24px">Chamique Holdsclaw 
Candace Parker</td>
<td style="width: 18.2314%;height: 24px">1999 
2008</td>
<td style="width: 19.9782%;height: 24px">Washington 
Los Angeles</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">Schools with multiple players selected in the first round</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-258740" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="642" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-300x201.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-768x514.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2271210009-1-2048x1369.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Back to trivia time. What was the only occasion in which a school had three players taken with the first three overall picks (1-2-3) in the WNBA Draft?
The answer is the 2016 Draft when UConn teammates Breanna Stewart (No. 1, Seattle), Moriah Jefferson (No. 2, San Antonio), and Morgan Tuck (No. 3, Connecticut) were the first three names called to the stage that night.
There have been four occasions in which the first two players selected came from the same school:
<ul>
<li>USC (1997): Tina Thompson (1 / Houston), Pam McGee (2 / Sacramento)</li>
<li>UConn (2002): Sue Bird (1 / Seattle), Swin Cash (2 / Detroit)</li>
<li>UConn (2016): Breanna Stewart (1 / Seattle), Moriah Jefferson (2 / San Antonio)</li>
<li>Oregon (2020): Sabrina Ionescu (1 / New York), Satou Sabally (2 / Dallas)</li>
</ul>
Just a week after winning the program&#8217;s first National Championship, UCLA made history in the 2026 WNBA Draft as the first team to have five first-round selections, and the first with six players selected in one draft. Lauren Betts (No. 4), Gabriela Jaquez (No. 5) and Kiki Rice (No. 6) were taken in a three-pick run, with Gianna Kneepkens (No. 15) closing out the First Round and Charlise Leger-Walker (No. 18) rounding out the Lady Bruins&#8217; six selections in the Second Round.
In 2002, UConn produced four first-round picks when Sue Bird led four Huskies selected with the first six picks in the draft – Bird (No. 1, Seattle), Swin Cash (No. 2, Detroit), Asjha Jones (No. 4, Washington) and Tamika Williams (No. 6, Minnesota).
Seven schools and one country have seen three players selected in the first round of a single WNBA Draft. UConn and South Carolina have seen three players drafted in the first round twice.
<ul>
<li>South Carolina
<ul>
<li> (2023) Aliyah Boston (No. 1, Indiana), Laeticia Amihere (No. 8, Atlanta), Zia Cooke (No. 11, Los Angeles)</li>
<li>(2017) Alaina Coates (No. 2, Chicago), Allisha Davis (No. 4, Dallas), Kaela Davis (No. 10, Dallas)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Oregon 
<ul>
<li>(2020): Sabrina Ionescu (No. 1, New York), Satou Sabally (No. 2, Dallas), Ruthy Hebard (No. 8, Chicago)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Notre Dame 
<ul>
<li>(2019): Jackie Young (No. 1, Las Vegas), Arike Ogunbowale (No. 5, Dallas), Brianna Turner (No. 11, Atlanta)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>UConn:
<ul>
<li>(2018): Gabby Williams (No. 4, Chicago), Azurá Stevens (No. 6, Dallas), Kia Nurse (No. 10, New York)</li>
<li> (2016): Breanna Stewart (No. 1, Seattle), Moriah Jefferson (No. 2, San Antonio), Morgan Tuck (No. 3, Connecticut)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Tennessee 
<ul>
<li>(2012): Shekinna Stricklen (No. 2, Seattle), Glory Johnson (No. 4, Tulsa), Kelly Cain (No. 7, New York)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Oklahoma 
<ul>
<li>(2002): Stacey Dales-Schuman (No. 3, Washington), LaNeishea Caufield (No. 14, Utah), Rosalind Ross (No. 16, Los Angeles)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Australia 
<ul>
<li>(2001): Lauren Jackson (No. 1, Seattle), Penny Taylor (No. 11, Cleveland), Kristen Veal (No. 13, Phoenix)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Georgia 
<ul>
<li>(2001): Kelly Miller (No. 2, Charlotte), Deanna Nolan (No. 6, Detroit), Coco Miller (No. 9, Washington)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">The NCAA Title / No. 1 WNBA Pick Double</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-258772" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-2209779457-3-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
With the WNBA Draft being held just days after the conclusion of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, prospects have a chance to pull off an incredible double – finish their collegiate career by winning the NCAA national championship, then begin their professional career as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft.
That feat has been accomplished six times in WNBA history, most recently by Paige Bueckers, who won her collegiate championship at Connecticut on April 6, 2025, and was drafted first overall by the Dallas Wings just eight days later.
<ul>
<li>Sue Bird (UConn, 2002) – drafted first overall by Seattle</li>
<li>Diana Taurasi (UConn, 2004) – drafted first overall by Phoenix</li>
<li>Candace Parker (Tennessee, 2008) – drafted first overall by Los Angeles</li>
<li>Tina Charles (UConn, 2010) – drafted first overall by Connecticut</li>
<li>Breanna Stewart (UConn, 2016) – drafted first overall by Seattle</li>
<li>Paige Bueckers (UConn, 2025) – drafted first overall by Dallas</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">Schools that have produced the most WNBA league MVPs</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-183314 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Lisa.png" alt="three-time WNBA MVP Lisa Leslie representing USC" width="940" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Lisa.png 940w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Lisa-300x204.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/Lisa-768x523.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px" />
Three schools have produced multiple players to win the WNBA League Most Valuable Player honors. Connecticut leads the way with four players winning MVP, but UConn and USC are tied with 5 total MVP awards.
<ul>
<li>USC: 2 players, 5 MVPs – Cynthia Cooper (1997, 1998), Lisa Leslie (2001, 2004, 2006)</li>
<li>Connecticut: 4 players, 5 MVPs – Diana Taurasi (2009), Tina Charles (2012), Maya Moore (2014), Breanna Stewart (2018, 2023)</li>
<li>Tennessee: 2 players, 3 MVPs – Candace Parker (2008, 2013), Tamika Catchings (2011)</li>
<li>South Carolina: 1 player, 4 MVPs &#8211; A&#8217;ja Wilson (2020, 2022, 2024, 2025)</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center">Schools that have produced the most WNBA Finals MVPs</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-183317 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/FMVP.png" alt="2x WNBA Finals MVP Lisa Leslie representing USC" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/FMVP.png 960w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/FMVP-300x200.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2022/03/FMVP-768x512.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
USC, UConn, and Tennessee are all represented on this list of MVPs as well, but they get some company from LSU and Rutgers, who each produced a pair of Finals MVPs. USC holds the mark for the most Finals MVPs as Cynthia Cooper (1997-2000) and Lisa Leslie (2001-02) combined to win the first six in WNBA history.
<ul>
<li>USC: 2 players, 6 Finals MVPs – Cynthia Cooper (1997-2000), Lisa Leslie (2001-02)</li>
<li>Connecticut: 3 players, 5 Finals MVPs – Diana Taurasi (2009, 2014), Maya Moore (2013), Breanna Stewart (2018, 2020)</li>
<li>LSU: 2 players, 3 Finals MVPs – Seimone Augustus (2011), Sylvia Fowles (2015, 2017)</li>
<li>Tennessee: 2 players, 2 Finals MVPs – Tamika Catchings (2012), Candace Parker (2016)</li>
<li>Rutgers: 2 players, 2 Finals MVPs – Cappie Pondexter (2007), Kahleah Copper (2021)</li>
<li>South Carolina: 1 player, 2 Finals MVPs – A&#8217;ja Wilson (2023, 2025)</li>
</ul>

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From College to the W: Which Schools Make History in the League?

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Media Day: Lauren Betts

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Media Availability: Lauren Betts

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Lauren Betts

PROFESSIONAL
<ul>
<li>Selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft</li>
</ul>
COLLEGE
<ul>
<li>Left UCLA ranked among the best in program history, including first in all-time blocks (235), first in field goal percentage (.621), third in made field goals (754), fourth in offensive rebounds (371), and sixth in defensive rebounds (545)</li>
<li>Averaged 17.1 points on .582 shooting, 8.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.0 steals per game in the 37 showings (all starts) of her 2025-26 season at UCLA as she led the university to their first NCAA Championship</li>
<li>Capped off run to the 2025-26 championship with a NCAA Women’s Final Four Most Outstanding Player Award</li>
<li>Was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for both the Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Award and the Defensive Player of the Year Award</li>
<li>Upon conclusion of the 2024-25 season, earned accolades including the Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year, WBCA NCAA DI Defensive Player of the Year, and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year</li>
<li>In total, was named to the Associated Press, USBWA, WBCA and Wooden All-America teams and won the Lisa Leslie Award in her final two seasons (2025 &amp; 2026)</li>
<li>Made 100 showings for UCLA (98 starts) and finished with career averages of 17.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.4 steals</li>
<li>In one season at Stanford (2022-23), made 33 appearances and averaged 5.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per game</li>
</ul>
INTERNATIONAL
<ul>
<li>Represented the United States in three tournament runs, in which Team USA won two gold medals (2021 FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup, 2019 FIBA Americas Women’s U16 Championship) and one silver medal (2023 FIBA AmeriCup W). Was named to the 2019 FIBA Americas U16 Championship All-Star Five list</li>
<li>Most recently, one of two collegiate players to participate in the December 2025 Women’s National Team Training Camp</li>
</ul>

Lauren Betts signed a Rookie Scale Contract with the Washington Mystics.

Lauren Betts was drafted by the Washington Mystics.

Sees 11 minutes in win

Scores in double figures Monday

Rookie notches seven points

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