Jaime Jaquez Jr’s Admission About Sister Gabriela Turns Heads After UCLA Championship

The UCLA Bruins women's basketball team just won the program's first NCAA national championship ater a dominant win over Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks on April 5.

UCLA likely would not have reached this point without Gabriela Jaquez. The senior guard has been a key piece of the Bruins' success this season, as she averaged 13.3 points per game and shot 38.7% from three-point range on the year. She was everywhere during the national championship game, finishing with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in 34 minutes played.

UCLA Bruins guard Gabriela Jaquez (11) | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Gabriela comes from an extremely athletic family. Her brother, Jaime Jazuez Jr., plays for the Miami Heat and also attended UCLA. He was in the building to watch his sister win the national championship, and looked to be a proud brother throughout the contest.

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Jaime played for UCLA from 2019 through 2023, and the Heat selected him with the No. 19 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He is averaging 15.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game with Miami during the 2025-26 season.

Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Jaime Jaquez Jr. Gets Honest About Sister Gabriela's Toughness Before NCAA National Championship

Jaime Jaquez Jr. spoke with ESPN before his sister's national championship victory and shared several things about her.

When asked what he remembers about his sister growing up, Jaquez Jr. said, "Man, I remember all her attitude that she had when she was a little girl. But now, it's working out for her. Look at how far she has made it. She has been great; she was always a great younger sister. She used to annoy the hell out of me, but as we got older, we started to understand each other a lot more. And I'm just really, really proud of her," per an Instagram post from @sportsish.

Jaquez Jr. was then asked to speak about his sister's toughness, and he said, "She has it. That's one thing she definitely has. She used to play with my little brother's team. She used to play with the boys when she was younger, so she knows what it takes. She has always looked for the hardest challenge possible, and she was never afraid. So that's why I know she was ready for this moment."

Gabriela will surely be selected in the first round of the 2026 WNBA Draft. The question is where she might end up, and how close it will be to her brother's team.