UCLA, USC basketball rivals share an unexpected bond off the court
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UCLA, USC basketball rivals share an unexpected bond off the court
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows USC basketball player JuJu Watkins dribbles the ball down the court during a game, Image 2 shows Sienna Betts shooting a basketball, Image 3 shows Two young women in professional attire stand side-by-side in a large convention hall, with one excitedly showing off a ring on her left hand
Ben Bolch·NY Post Sports
·
3 min read
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ROSEMONT, Ill. – The moment she spottedUCLA's Sienna Betts posingacross the room in front of a giant Big Ten logo,USC's Jazzy Davidsonbroke into a giddy smile, as if she had caught a glimpse of a long-lost friend
Equally thrilled upon seeing Davidson, Betts walked over to embrace her in a bear hug, lifting her off the floor inside a giant convention center room during Big Ten media days.
UCLA's Sienna Betts (left) and USC's Jazzy Davidson are the best of friends even though they play for rival teams.
When these two get together, it doesn't matter that their teams are archrivals, that they will want to beat one another when they step on the court during their two meetings in February – and maybe another time or two in the months to follow.
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It's never Bruin versus Trojan with them.
It's all about a singular friendship.
Said Betts: "She's so funny, so real, so herself and she's so fun to hang out with and have dinner with."
Said Davidson: "My favorite thing about Sienna is that she's very authentically herself and she's very funny and honest."
UCLA forward Sienna Betts shoots a free throw during the first half in the Sweet 16. AP Photo/Sara Nevis
They're so close that UCLA coach Cori Close said she had trouble getting Betts to the WNBA draft – which included her sister, Lauren, as one of the top picks – on time because Sienna was at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival with Davidson.
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That's just the way it goes with these two.
Basketball fans can expect to hear their names even more in the years to come.
Betts is a sophomore forward on the defending national champions. Davidson is the reigning USBWA national freshman of the year.
They first interacted at a basketball showcase in the eighth grade but didn't really meet until becoming roommates at another camp in high school.
"I remember I got there and I saw your name and I was like, 'Oh, I don't want to be roommates with her, man,' " Betts said in mock disappointment as Davidson unleashed a look of disbelief.
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What was Betts' first impression of Davidson?
"I thought Jazzy was really shy and stuck up, honestly," Betts said. "She just had an aura."
Jazzy Davidson of the USC Trojans dribbles the ball during the second quarter of a first round NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. Getty Images
It didn't take long for the amiable Davidson to dispel that notion while doubling down on her own more accurate first impressions of Betts.
"She was very goofy, like as you can see now, a very funny, sweet girl, a silly goose," Davidson said. "Just the best."
They went on to room together with USA Basketball, teaming to win a gold medal this summer in the Czech Republic.
Betts holds a 2-0 edge in head-to-head meetings after the Bruins swept the Trojans last season, though that was with USC superstar JuJu Watkins sidelined while recovering from a knee injury. Watkins is back this season as part of a Big Three alongside Davidson and five-star freshman Saniyah Hall.
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Both insist the rivalry won't impact their friendship.
Even during the week leading up to one cross-town game last season, they continued texting and had a sleepover afterward.
"I think we have that separation between our friendship and our basketball lives," Davidson said, "knowing that's separate."
Maybe not forever. There's always the chance they could end up on the same WNBA team.
