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The Women's Final Four starts tonight in Phoenix. One of the top women's teams this season has been UCLA. The Bruins have a record of 35 and 1 and are led by senior Lauren Betts, who's averaging 17 points a game. But as she wraps up her college basketball career, her biggest victory may have come off the court. As Steve Futterman reports, she's battled depression and anxiety, and she's speaking out about it.
STEVE FUTTERMAN, BYLINE: On the court, Lauren Betts is a force.
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UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #1: Betts - 35, a new career high for Lauren Betts.
FUTTERMAN: How good is Lauren Betts? We posed that question to former WNBA star, Hall of Fame center and TV analyst Rebecca Lobo.
REBECCA LOBO: I mean, she's incredible. It's - you know, she's one of the best players in the country, probably the best big - traditional big in the country.
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UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #2: Parker to Betts. And another strike for the all-American (ph).
FUTTERMAN: But as good as Betts is on the court, few knew of the battle she was suffering inside. It all came to a head two years ago when Betts called the team trainer and checked herself into the UCLA Hospital psychiatric ward.
CORI CLOSE: She's beautiful. She's talented. She's successful. But on the inside, it didn't match.
FUTTERMAN: UCLA head coach Cori Close was with her in the hospital.
CLOSE: I was there the first night. It's a scary thing. You know, you just wanted to wrap your arms around her and make sure she's okay and just make sure she knows that she's unconditionally loved.
FUTTERMAN: A few details began to emerge last year. Then last month, Betts gave a graphic account of her mental health challenges. She wrote a first-person article for the Player's Tribune and talked about the hype and the pressure, feeling numb and anxious. She described feeling as if she was underwater, descending deeper and deeper. Yesterday, here in Phoenix on the eve of the final four, I asked Betts if opening up has been cathartic.
How do you feel now that you've done it, what I'm assuming is sort of a freeing feeling?
LAUREN BETTS: Yeah. I mean, I think, kind of like you said, I think it takes a lot of that weight off your shoulders once you finally are just honest with everyone on how you're doing.
FUTTERMAN: In her article, Betts described how she needed to take a break from school and the team. She also mentioned someone who unexpectedly reached out to help - South Carolina coach Dawn Staley.
DAWN STALEY: We recruited her. You know, her phone number was still in my phone. Her contact was in my phone, so I just - I mean, it's human nature. Like, you don't want young kids to have to go through some things, such dark times that she went through. And sometimes, you just need to know that you're supported.
FUTTERMAN: Betts' candid account has won universal praise from the college basketball world. South Carolina guard Raven Johnson has known Betts since they were young teenagers.
RAVEN JOHNSON: People don't really talk about that part of the game, and just for her to speak out about that part, it means a lot. And I think she don't - I don't think she understands how much this is inspiring other girls to look into stuff like that, the mental aspect of the game.
FUTTERMAN: And Betts says she wants to help.
BETTS: You know, I was put on this earth to do more than just play basketball. Like, I think the journey that I've had and the hardships that I went through are to help other people.
FUTTERMAN: Lauren Betts and her UCLA teammates are facing Texas in a semifinal game. If they win, they will advance to Sunday's championship game. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Phoenix.
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