If you thought Lauren Betts was impressive, wait until you see her younger sister, Sienna Betts. “I’ll tell you, she’s one of the most amazing learners I have coached in my 33 years,” UCLA coach Cori Close said last week. One of the most anticipated freshmen in the country, Sienna has already earned a spot on the Katrina McClain Award watchlist, which honors the top power forward in women’s college basketball.

Ranked No. 2 in the 2025 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings by ESPNW, Betts is set to team up with her sister and take on a key role for the Bruins this season. Her size, skill, and court IQ make her an instant difference-maker for Cori Close’s squad. However, fans will have to wait a little longer for her debut, as she’s been ruled out of UCLA’s opener against SDSU. But what happened to sister Betts?

What happened to Sienna Betts? Details of the injury

Sienna Betts was recently seen wearing a walking boot after she “tweaked something” in her left leg during a scrimmage against UC Riverside on October 19. Although some time has passed since the incident, the injury appears significant enough to postpone her much-anticipated debut.

UCLA coach Cori Close confirmed the update, saying, “Sienna is going to be a no-go for our opener.” Close further added, “She’s coming along great, she’s doing a great job, but we’re going to rule her out for Monday. We’re excited to get her back and get her in the mix.” While the program hasn’t shared specific details about the injury, the freshman forward is expected to be evaluated again after Monday, with her status listed as day-to-day.

How long will Sienna Betts be out? Recovery timeline & updates

Fortunately for UCLA, head coach Cori Close confirmed that Sienna Betts will return to action this season. “No question about that,” Close confirmed in her remarks. “So we’re really excited, actually, to get her back and to get her in the mix. She’s not in a season-ending situation at all.” The update provides relief for Bruins fans eager to see the highly touted freshman make her collegiate debut.  However, the exact timeline for her recovery remains uncertain.

“No, we don’t know yet,” was the Coach’s response, as reported by Benjamin Royer. “We’re waiting on results from the tweak that she had at the scrimmage, and so we’ll know more later.” Since the nature of Sienna’s injury has not been disclosed, it is difficult to estimate when she might officially return to the lineup.

How will UCLA adjust without Sienna Betts vs San Diego State?

Sienna averaged 23 points and 16.5 rebounds per game during her senior year at Grandview High School in Colorado. A freshman at UCLA, especially with multiple veterans returning on the roster, would be coming off the bench. However, the way Close talked about her recruit signals otherwise.  

“Her knowledge of the game, her ability to see things, and then put it into practice. I think actually there’s going to be a silver lining of this little return-to-play time for her, that she’s going to be able to really focus on some work in her shooting pocket,” Close highlighted. With Sienna out for the time being, UCLA’s depth is affected as Lauren Betts becomes even more important.

Timea Gardiner and Angela Dugalić will get added minutes and responsibility until Sienna comes back. The squad is not short by any means, and Sienna’s injury should not affect them heavily. However, the UCLA HC would want her back as soon as possible so she could get minutes to focus on her development.  

As the season goes on, Sienna could evolve into becoming an important piece for this side. They have lofty goals of foreshadowing a final four finish and are aiming for the title. And to be a true title-contending team, the role players like Sienna will be needed to step up in crunch situations. For now, she continues to recover from her injury, and fans hope for a return to the court soon. They are waiting to watch the Betts sisters ball out for UCLA.