IN PIC: Kiki Rice offers glimpse into recovery after shoulder surgery

The UCLA Bruins, led by the likes of Kiki Rice, just had what is considered to be most successful run in program history. Despite not winning it all in the 2025 March Madness, Rice and Co. led the team to their first ever NCAA Final Four appearance in this year's national tournament, where their awe-inspiring campaign came to an end with a 34-point defeat, 85-51, to the UConn Huskies on April 4.

Rice was one of the focal points of the team that was eventually determined to be the first seed overall in the 2024-2025 season as she was the 1-2 punch of third-year stalwart Lauren Betts out in the perimeter. This year was then capped off with a dominant 34-3 overall record and 16-2 during conference play earlier in the season.

But, as several in the college basketball world has speculated on her passiveness at times in the season, Rice took it to her Instagram story earlier on Wednesday, April 16, to announce that she underwent a surgery on her right shoulder. The incoming senior uploaded a photo of her in a hospital bed, post-operation, smiling with the caption:

"Recovery!," along with a white heart emoji.

Check out Kiki Rice's update photo on her recovery below.

(image credits: @kiki.rice on Instagram)

There hasn't been much information on the kind of surgery Rice went through or the severity of what her right shoulder injury truly was. But, as mentioned, there has been instances throughout her third-year that she went passive with that part of her body, leading to some missed games and even putting on muscle tape all throughout the year.

Nevertheless, it is definitely a delight to see for the Cori Close-coached program and the whole UCLA faithful to see their budding star immediately kick off the offseason by getting her body in tip-top shape. The Bruins are seeking to go further than they did this season in the 2025-2026 campaign, hopefully taking home the program's first-ever national championship in its long history.

Kiki Rice was named to the 2025 Academic All-America First Team

As a testament to the kind of role model she has become, Kiki Rice was recently named to the 2024-2025 Academic All-America Division 1 women's basketball First Team on Wednesday, April 16, by the College Sports Communicators.The distinction annually recognizes the student-athletes who performed outstandingly in both their sport and with their academics.

In the 2024-2025 season, Rice averaged 12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, a team-high 5.0 assists and 1.4 steals per contest for the UCLA Bruins, all while maintaing a stellar 3.85 GPA in her Communications/Education degree in the No. 1 public university in the nation.