SPORTS TODAY
UCLA freshman Sienna Betts, the No. 2 player of the class of 2025, was seen in a walking boot during Thursday’s practice. Betts “tweaked something” on her left leg during a scrimmage against UC Riverside on Oct. 19.
The Bruins will tip off their 2025-26 season on Nov. 3 against the San Diego State Aztecs. Coach Cori Close said there is currently no update on her status or timeline for her return.
“No, we don’t know yet,” she said, as reported by Benjamin Royer. “We’re waiting on results, from the tweak that she had at the scrimmage, and so we’ll know more later.”
While Betts was not able to participate in much of the practice, she did some light exercises and worked on some shooting while sitting on a chair.
The 6-foot-4 forward has been expected to play a significant role in the Bruins frontcourt. Betts is the younger sister of UCLA star Lauren Betts, who had a breakout junior year while leading the Bruins to their first ever NCAA Tournament Final Four.
Sienna averaged 23 points and 16.5 rebounds per game during her senior year at Grandview High School in Colorado. Besides her basketball skills, Close has talked about how her personality will also impact the team.
“There is a strength that Sienna has that is really unmatched,” Close said during the Big Ten media day. “We do the enneagram, which is a personality test. If you know anything about the enneagram, the 8 is the challenger, and Sienna is an 8. She just challenges every situation, and she is not afraid of that. And I always tell her, ‘Yes, I’m going to ask you to have boundaries on that sometimes,’ but I never want to push that down. We need that.”
