After winning the women’s NCAA championship with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Gabriela Jaquez expressed her feelings about winning the first championship in the history of that institution by defeating the University of South Carolina by a score of 79-51.
I imagined this moment many times and I am proud, I am going to cry a lot. I have all the feelings you can’t imagine. I knew it was my last moment and I gave my best game. We achieved the goal after going through so many things.
Originally from Irvine, California, Gabriel Jaquez is of Mexican descent, making her the first player from that country to be crowned in the United States collegiate basketball league (NCAA).
I love my family, they got here before the game started. From that moment I started to cry and enjoyed a moment with them.
The new college monarch commented where she has given priority to representing Mexico; she even made her debut with the tricolor team in the pre-qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
What’s next for Gabriela Jaquez in women’s basketball?
It should be noted that her parents were born in the United States, who have Mexican roots due to their paternal grandmother, who comes from Jalisco. Having dual nationality, they have the possibility of choosing between the United States and Mexico national teams, the latter being the one she has chosen. With her performance this afternoon in the NCAA Final, Gabriela Jaquez confirms her great potential for a career in the professional field.
The Mexico national team player is preparing for the WNBA draft, where she hopes to be selected in the first round. Her numbers show that she has the potential to stay on the court, having led UCLA’s offense with 21 points and 10 rebounds. In the post-game interview, she was reminded that it was the last time she wore this uniform: “I feel so proud of this institution. We achieved the goal and I just remember the path we had to take. What a great way to finish it.”
The Jaquez family will expand their NBA legacy
If Gabriela Jaquez is called up to play for a WNBA team, Mexico could also increase its number of representatives in the league after Lou Lopez became the first Mexican to sign with a franchise when she was selected in 2023 by the Dallas Wings. Likewise, her surname will have greater projection in the NBA once her brother Jaime, who also came out of UCLA, is a prominent player for the Miami Heat.
Now with a historic title in hand and after closing her college career, Gabriela Jaquez is expected to turn professional just as her brother Jaime did in 2023 and they will be among the few pairs of siblings to have played in parallel in the WNBA and NBA.
