UCLA Star Lauren Betts Shares Her Depression Story

When UCLA basketball center Lauren Betts checked herself into the hospital for depression in January 2024, she had no idea how powerful sharing that moment would become.

The star athlete opened up about her mental health struggle in a Players' Tribune story published Thursday, detailing the challenges she faced during her sophomore season. She missed several games while getting the help she needed at UCLA hospital.

"It was a good opportunity for me to show the growth that I've had in the past few years," Betts said Friday at a news conference. Her decision to go public came from a place of healing and wanting to help others.

When Betts returned to her team in 2024, she faced one of her biggest fears: telling her teammates why she'd been gone. With encouragement from her mom and coach Cori Close, she addressed the team in their film room before practice.

"I just want you all to know I've been dealing with depression," she told them. "This is what's been going on in my head. I love you guys so much. And I'm sorry that I had to leave."

She braced herself for their reactions. Instead, her teammates surrounded her with exactly what she needed.

"They were all like, 'We're so happy that you took care of yourself. You're coming back even better. We love you,'" Betts wrote.

Why This Inspires

Close said she couldn't be "more impressed and inspired" by Betts' courage. "I cannot imagine, when I was that age, having that kind of courage," the head coach said Friday.

The support clearly made a difference. Betts says she has "healed so much" since that difficult time and wanted to write her story from her own perspective.

"This is so much bigger than myself," she explained. "The people that I've been able to impact really means a lot to me and that's why I wanted to do it."

Her growth shows on and off the court. Earlier this week, Betts was named First Team All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Year.

As top-seeded UCLA opens the NCAA tournament Saturday against California Baptist, Betts is proving that taking care of your mental health isn't a weakness. It's the strongest move you can make.