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Jan. 2, 2026, 11:28 a.m. ET
UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts recently received advice from an unexpected source: Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston.
Betts, expected to go in the top five of the 2026 WNBA draft, has been following Boston’s career for quite some time. She describes the Fever center as her “idol” and watched Boston’s game grow as the former No. 1 overall pick transitioned from South Carolina to the WNBA.
The pair had the chance to meet when Betts was invited to a Team USA training camp in December. The UCLA center says she was surprised to learn Boston watches her games. Her idol offered advice to the young center, which Betts shared following a 97-61 New Year’s Eve win over Penn State.
“She’s telling me ― she’s like, ‘Lauren, I don’t care what happens in the game. If you miss 10 layups, if you’re open to run that midrange, shoot the ball …Trust yourself,'” Betts said. “So I think to hear it from her, that was really, really cool because she’s obviously an amazing post [player]. She’s had such a great college career.”
Betts’ admiration for Boston extends beyond the advice. During Team USA media availabilities, Betts explained why many young players look up to Boston and why her interactions with the veteran player meant so much.
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“She’s an amazing post player. She’s an amazing person, and I think she’s really grown the game, especially with posts,” Betts said. “She’s just someone that we idolize. Being able to learn from her and have those conversations has been really cool, and I actually spoke to her about some tips that I could use moving forward for my team. [I’m] just really honored that I got to speak to her.”
