NaLyssa Smith's brother has high praise for Lauren Betts after her dominant double-double sends Bruins to Sweet 16

NaLyssa Smith’s brother, Rodney Smith II, couldn’t help but admire the UCLA Bruins’ Lauren Betts. Betts had a stellar outing against the Richmond Spiders, recording 30 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. The Bruins managed to defeat the Spiders 84-67, off the back of Betts and Kiki Rice’s solid performances.

Rice had 23 points and seven assists in the win. Following this win, the UCLA Bruins have now advanced to the Sweet 16 where they will face the fifth-seeded Ole Miss Rebels.

NaLyssa Smith’s brother, Rodney, took to X and praised Lauren Betts following her performance against Richmond:

“Lauren Betts gone be a problem in the league🔥”

Lauren Betts was also solid during the Bruins’ first-round game against the Southern Jaguars. She recorded 14 points, six rebounds and four assists in the 84-46 win. Betts averaged 19.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.9 blocks per game this season.

While Betts isn’t expected to be part of the 2025 WNBA Draft, she will likely be in the league in 2026 considering the 21-year-old is one of the highest-rated college players in the country. She led the team to the first seed and might very well lead it to the NCAA Championship before the season is over.

“I felt like an alien.": UCLA Bruins’ 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts on troubles she faced growing up

Not everyone is used to seeing a woman as tall as Betts who currently stands at 6-foot-7. She had already grown to 5-6 by the time she was in third grade. Her large frame made life difficult for Betts who struggled to fit in.

Speaking on her troubles, Betts said to ESPN on Thursday:

“I was like, no one understands what I'm dealing with besides me because I'm the only person who looks like this. I felt like an alien."

She added:

“If I could [have], I would literally shrink. Or I would become invisible so that no one could see me. I just was so tired."

Betts might’ve struggled with her height as a child, but everything seems to have worked out in her favor. Thanks to her height, she is currently one of the most dominant players in college and looks set to achieve great things in basketball.