Kiki Rice - UCLA’s Glue

Kiki Rice might be the most underrated player in women’s college basketball because her impact isn’t built on volume—it’s built on winning. She makes everyone on the floor better, which is the ideal job description for a point guard and a leader. She organizes possessions, keeps teammates in rhythm, and consistently creates clean looks without needing the offense to orbit around her. That “connective tissue” skill is rare, and it translates.

That’s why some WNBA team is going to be thrilled on draft night when Rice is still sitting there. If Chicago is on the clock at No. 5 and both Olivia Miles and Rice are available, I’d expect the Sky to take Miles—and in the near term it might be the best choice. Miles will put up bigger numbers immediately, and Chicago badly needs someone who can generate offense and headline the box score. The tradeoff is style and efficiency: Miles will be more ball-dominant, take tougher shots, commit more turnovers, and—over time—may be less efficient than a steady, table-setting guard.

Rice is more Sue Bird than stat-chaser: a guard who leads, stabilizes, and unlocks superstars around her. She doesn’t just “run the point”—she elevates the ecosystem. Golden State at No. 8 feels like the best reasonable case fit, where her IQ and pace would help a new franchise build structure fast. Washington, with three first-round picks, is another likely destination—and she’d be fascinating with that young, talented core.

She’s had a great career in Westwood, but her senior season has been a leap: scoring up, rebounding up, shooting percentages up, and an assist-to-turnover ratio better than 3-to-1. Lauren Betts gets the most attention, rightfully so—but Rice is the glue, and she has the tools to thrive at the next level.