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 raw numbers have gone down in 2026. After averaging 20.1 points last year, this year she has averaged 16.4 points. She had 9.5 rebounds per game, which has dropped to 8.6 rebounds. 

However, she is getting more creative duties with the opposing team scouting her out. Her assist numbers are up from 2.7 assists per game to 3.2 with her usage going from 28% to 29%. 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 still not attempted a three-point shot. 

Even from midrange, she is 37.8% while shooting only 13.1% of her shots from there. This is something that many doubt makes her not suitable 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 even Aliyah Boston after her Unrivaled development spring to mind. Elite teams are wanting bigs who can shoot and Betts doesn’t fit that category yet. But, like 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 run as well. Because the Wings already have guards in Paige Bueckers, JJ Quinnerly and Aziaha James.

What they realistically need is a center. Of course, they can roll the dice with 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, because they hired Jose Fernandez, who is known for his international scouting and connections, Fam is currently 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 a game against senior players at 20.5 minutes a game. She will take time to acclimate to the American basketball style. 

Much like Dominique Malonga, who was drafted at 2 by the Seattle Storm. She came off the bench and only got into her own during the final quarter of the season. But Dallas needs someone who  would immediately contribute and pair up with Bueckers. Of course, they can make trades in the market and bring in veteran centers. It depends on the approach Wings takes. 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.