The Golden State Valkyries already had their WNBA Expansion Draft. However, Golden State still has moves to make. They are eligible to add players in free agency and via trades, and the Valkyries have the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. UCLA women's basketball star Lauren Betts' latest performance will catch the Valkyries' attention without question.
Michael Voepel of ESPN published a 2025 WNBA Mock Draft for ESPN on November 17. It should be noted that the mock draft is from before the Valkyries' had their expansion draft on December 6. Nevertheless, Voepel had Golden State selecting Betts. Now that the Valkyries actually have players on the roster, does Betts still make sense for the team?
The answer is yes. Golden State selected two centers in the expansion draft in Temi Fagbenle and Iliana Rupert. Still, adding a third center would not hurt matters by any means. Additionally, the Valkyries could look to trade one of their centers to add more help at the forward or guard positions.
Betts, who is 21 years old and stands 6'7", has an opportunity to become a star in the league. Building around Betts could be a smart move for the Valkyries. They could look to add a star at the guard position to develop a core around the star guard and Betts.
So how well did Lauren Betts play on Sunday in UCLA's 73-62 victory over Washington?
Lauren Betts leads UCLA to victory against Washington
No. 1 UCLA improved to 9-0 on Sunday after defeating Washington. Betts led all scorers with 23 points. She added three rebounds, two blocks and one steal while shooting 10-16 from the field. Betts wants to record more rebounds, but overall it was a strong performance for the UCLA star.
Rebounds have not been an issue for Betts this season, though, as she entered the game averaging 10.9 rebounds per outing. Betts also averaged 19.1 points per game through UCLA's first eight contests of the 2024-25 season. She is one of the best centers in women's college basketball right now.
Of course, other WNBA teams are certainly taking notice of Betts' play. There are no guarantees that she will even be available after the first four picks of the draft. Golden State may also want to select a guard in their first ever WNBA Draft. With that being said, the Valkyries will surely at least consider selecting Lauren Betts if she is available at the No. 5 pick in the draft.