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When you’re 6’7”, it’s easy—and usually smart—to rely on your size and strength around the rim. At the same time, however, the WNBA game is moving further and further away from traditional bigs who do all of their damage around the rim and can’t space the floor. Take A’ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier, for example. They are the two best forwards in the league, and both have an incredibly versatile skill set.
Of course, more traditional bigs, like Bri Jones, Kamilla Cardoso, or Aliyah Boston, still find success in the W, but their games are beginning to change, too. Jones took more threes in the 2025 season than ever before, and Fever coach Stephanie White has been adamant about turning Boston into more of a 3-point threat.
Lauren Betts is not a 3-point shooter yet. She has only attempted one three all season long, but she is working on improving her mid-range game and expanding her range that way. After a strong performance against Penn State, Betts revealed that Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston is one of the people who have highlighted how important it is for her to take shots further away from the basket.
“I actually had the chance to talk to Aliyah Boston when I was at the training camp for USA [Basketball], and she spoke to me because she watched a lot of our games, which is crazy to me because she’s like my idol,” Betts said during her postgame media availability. “So, she was telling me, ‘Lauren, I don’t care what happens in the game, if you miss ten layups, if you’re open around that mid-range, shoot the ball. Trust yourself.’ And so I think to hear that from her, that was really cool because she’s obviously an amazing post and she’s had such a great college career.”
With her size, efficiency around the basket, and defensive ability, Betts is set up well for a successful WNBA career. Nevertheless, growing into more than “just” an efficient scorer around the rim could boost her potential significantly.
Betts should be a top pick in the upcoming WNBA draft
When the college season first started, Lauren Betts looked like the most likely number-one pick. The Wings need a young center to pair with Paige Bueckers, and Betts has the kind of size and defensive ability that you simply can’t teach. By now, the number-one pick seems more likely to come down to Awa Fam and Azzi Fudd, but Betts is still one of the top prospects in the draft.
Averaging 15.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.3 blocks, she is one of the best traditional bigs and rim protectors to enter the W in a while. Nevertheless, her position in the draft is rather difficult to predict simply because most lottery teams will likely look to add a guard to their young cores.
Betts could go second overall to the Lynx after the playoffs exposed Minnesota’s lack of size or fall all the way to an expansion team just outside the lottery. Dallas and Minnesota could use a big, but if neither picks Betts, she wouldn’t necessarily be a great fit for the other lottery teams. Seattle already has Dominique Malonga, Washington has Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin and traded Aaliyah Edwards during the season to clear up the logjam of young talent in the frontcourt, and Chicago already has Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.
