Story by
How UCLA star Lauren Betts found herself and is dancing, literally, to the Sweet 16
- Story by
- How UCLA star Lauren Betts found herself and is dancing, literally, to the Sweet 16
LOS ANGELES — UCLA was going through its free throw drills during an October preseason practice when coach Cori Close had to stop everything.
In this drill, you have to make six straight free throws, and then cap it off with a little dance. Everyone does their own thing, but in this instance, she caught Lauren and Sienna Betts out of the corner of her eye. As "thatPower" by Will.i.am featuring Justin Bieber played through the speakers of Pauley Pavilion, the sisters weren't just dancing; they were in sync, and it was choreographed too perfectly.
Advertisement
"Wait a minute," Close said. "We got to see this."
When they were younger, the sisters enjoyed "Just Dance." Mainly, Lauren loved dancing as a kid, her mother Michelle recalled, obsessed with learning routines. The only problem was they didn't have the game.
"We were too cheap to get the actual video games," Lauren joked. "We would just look up YouTube videos."
So, Lauren would learn all of these dances, and then would teach it to her little sister so they could perform it together. In this particular instance, "thatPower" was in "Just Dance: 2014," and it was a dance they knew by heart.
Advertisement
Seeing the sisters throwing it back to their childhood, Close called everyone over, restarted the song and made the Betts sisters do whatever they were doing.
The result? A performance that wowed the rest of the Bruins. The cameras used to record practice caught it, and has over 3.5 million views on TikTok.
"Without even rehearsing it, they bust out into this dance," Close said. "They were great."
Nothing like a sister bond.
You could call the viral moment a good omen, kick starting what has been a phenomenal senior year for Betts. The Bruins star has led her team to another Big Ten championship and No. 1 seed in the women's NCAA Tournament, on a path to get UCLA back to the Final Four and win its first national championship.
Advertisement
While there's been plenty to celebrate on the court, there's perhaps even more off of it. For a long time, none of this seemed possible. For as great Betts has been throughout her career playing, she struggled away from the game.
This year, Betts has thrived as a person. She's having fun and soaking up everything in her final season in Westwood. It's even sweeter her little sister by her side to experience it.
"Things have gone so well at UCLA," Michelle Betts told USA TODAY Sports. "Sometimes, it's like you forget how rough it was."
Becoming Lauren Betts
In addition to tearing up the family dance floor, Betts was an avid swimmer in her youth. She'd be up at 4 a.m. to go to swim meets with her dad, and sometimes, mom would take her to a basketball tournament later in the day.
Advertisement
It was eighth grade when Betts decided basketball was her avenue, and when she made that choice, she took off. She was succeeding and loving it.
All of that changed when others started noticing. It was hard to ignore Betts' talent ― and height ― as she started high school. Then came her making the U-16 national team, and when she was with teammates in Chile for the FIBA Americas championship, she learned she was the top recruit in the country.
That's when the "pressure cooker" turned on. All the sudden, Betts and her family heard all of the noise, and there was no way to turn it off.
"That was actually really shocking and kind of hard to deal with," Michelle said. "She'd always get a lot of attention, a lot of unwanted attention. She handled it the best she could, but it was really hard for her."
Advertisement
Despite the consistent pressure, Betts flourished playing at Grandview High School in Aurora, Colorado, proving why she was the top player in the 2022 recruiting class. She chose Stanford, set on becoming the next great player for the storied program.
'It was really painful'
Betts' freshman season at Stanford was tough, which has been well documented. Coming off the bench, not feeling like she was living up to expectations, took a tremendous toll. Her mental health was suffering, and family didn't know how to help. They tried their best to be encourage her every step of the way.
Even those closest to her didn't know how truly bad it got. In the Fox Sports documentary "You See LA," Betts revealed after the season, she didn't know if she wanted to continue playing basketball.
Advertisement
"It was really painful," Michelle said of watching it.
Of all the coaches that recruited Betts ― and there were several ― Close and the UCLA staff were the ones that felt closest to the family. They actually felt like an extension of it.
Just how Close talked to Betts about stuff outside of basketball, sometimes in therapeutic ways, it felt like transferring to UCLA was the move to help Betts reestablish herself on and off the court.
It did ― just not right away.
"When she first got there, and she was on the court and she was doing her things, she's doing a great job," Michelle said. "It definitely took a dive towards January."
Advertisement
In the Player's Tribune on March 19, Betts revealed at the time her anxiety and depression engulfed her, and she was in a dangerous headspace. She checked herself into a hospital, and took some time away from the team in the middle of the season, knowing she needed to get help.
It was tremendously brave not just for Betts to do, but to share it.
"I could not imagine when I was that age having that kind of courage and having experienced some of those things alongside her and with her," Close said.
Betts' junior season was when mom noticed the page turning. That confidence was growing again, and just about everything went right.
Advertisement
UCLA raced to a 23-0 start. It won the Big Ten tournament title and reached the Final Four for the first time in program history. Betts was an All-American, defensive player of the year and center of the year.
The arrival of little sister, Sienna
With Betts and every starter from last season's team returning, the expectation the Bruins is to get back to the Final Four and win it all.
So far, they're on track. UCLA is having its most successful season yet, 33-1 after a perfect run through the Big Ten and another No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Bruins are loaded with talent, a senior-led squad with multiple playmakers on the court at any given time. Despite the deep roster, Betts has continued to be the leader, averaging 17.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. That doesn't account for the difference she makes with her presence on the court.
Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins reacts during the second half in the second round game of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament against the Oklahoma State Cowgirls at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Big Ten player of the year, another conference defensive player of the year and additional All-American honor are just some of the awards she's already won this season, and there's a good chance the honors will keep coming.
Advertisement
"Her impact has been incredible," guard Gianna Kneepkens said. "She makes everyone better not just because of the basketball player she is, but the leader she is."
Even with all of the success, this season's approach has been different. Close felt like 2024-25 was a "heavy year," given UCLA had so many firsts and was trying to navigate being the hunted instead of the hunter. She knew coming into the 2025-26 campaign, she needed to let loose a bit and let the players find joy during the grind.
You know, like let your star player and top freshman put on a "Just Dance" performance during practice. It's those moments that have made this season even sweeter.
"I feel like I'm just a lot more calm. I think showing up to practice every day is just so exciting. Like, how can you not love showing up to practice and just having your own family there?" Betts said. "(Sienna's) just such a big joy of my life, and I just appreciate her being here, and all the support and love that she constantly gives me."
Advertisement
Momma Betts also believes Sienna reminds Lauren of her journey, and the "reason to celebrate" this moment. Plus, she gets to see her little girls be the same exact ones she raised. Even though they were typical sisters, driving each other crazy, they have always been extremely close, having a blast every single time they are together.
"It kind of takes you back," Michelle said. "It's like, there goes my girls, being the same. They have not changed."
Maybe it's a coincidence, but Betts has grown tremendously off the court. It's not hard to tell how much fun she's been having.
She has become a DJ. She's starring in a Nyx makeup commercial. She's making TikToks left and right. She and teammates Gabriela Jaquez and Charlisse Ledger-Walker even got to perform with the cheerleaders at the men's basketball home finale.
"She's enjoying more of a well-rounded life, and appreciating her lifestyle and who she is, more than just the singular focus of, 'How did I play today?'" Michelle said.
Advertisement
Embracing the journey
Betts couldn't have imagined what happened when she walked off the Nell and John Wooden Court for the final game of her college career. After dropping a career-high 35 points and nine rebounds to lead UCLA to the Sweet 16, she was serenaded by the home crowd one last time.
Remember, she reached her lowest point in her first year on campus. Times were dark and a future didn't seem certain.
To go from that, to having Mom, who she described as "my rock," and "best friend" Sienna there, getting emotional even though that's uncharacteristic for little sister, it was a picture perfect ending to an emotional journey.
Advertisement
"I didn't think that any of this is possible, or that I'd be in the position that I'm in. I think that's where a lot of the emotions come from," Betts told USA TODAY Sports after the win over Oklahoma State in the second round. "It hasn't been easy, but this program means everything to me."
Lauren Betts, celebrating with her sister, Sienna, is finding joy in her senior season at UCLA.
Of course, it's not the end just yet. UCLA has its eyes on a national championship, and Betts will be a pro, possibly the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft. Professional basketball will give Betts new challenges, Michelle said, but that's another conversation for another day. Plus, she believes her daughter will take a lot of pride in reaching the highest level of basketball, with her college journey helping her navigate it.
Regardless how the it all evolves, Betts has won. She overcame the demons and has thrived. Part of her healing process is being proud of who she is and how she's grown.
Advertisement
It's inspired others as well. Close recalled when the team played at Penn State on New Year's Eve, a teenage girl came to Betts and said her story saved her life.
"When you can use your pain for great purpose and other centeredness to have an incredible legacy in the lives of others, that's an incredible gift. But it's a gift that she's worked really, really hard for," Close said.
It's a dream shaped into reality. The icing on the cake is her family was there to witness — and dance — through it all.
"I'm happy that they're happy, that they're just thriving. I just feel really blessed," Michelle said. "You just wonder how many good things can happen in the same family.
"It just feels really crazy to me."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How a viral dance captured UCLA center Lauren Betts' journey back to joy
