Familia history: Gabriela Jaquez picked by Chicago Sky

As Gabriela Jaquez walked up to the stage after being selected fifth overall in the WNBA Draft, her immediate family cheered loudly from their table at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York.

“That’s my sister! That’s my sister,” Marcos Jaquez yelled while sitting next to his parents Jaime Jaquez Sr. and Angela Jaquez. The elder Jaquez held up his smart phone so Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. could take in the moment via FaceTime.

Almost three years after Gabriela, Marcos and their parents attended the NBA Draft to support Jaime Jr. when he was drafted 18th overall by the Miami Heat, the entire family was together to support Gabriela even if that meant via FaceTime for Jaime Jr. 

Gabriela Jaquez was the second of a record five UCLA players drafted in the first round of the WNBA Draft. A sixth member of the 2026 national champions was picked in the second round, giving the Bruins the most players taken in a single WNBA Draft.

‘Ultimate pride’

“It’s the ultimate pride,” Jaime Jaquez Sr. said. “As you know, family is very, very big in our culture. There was a big old watch party in Camarillo (Calif.) also. I wanted (Jaime Jr.) to be a part of it. Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t be there in person.”

Gabriela Jaquez, who was born in Camarillo to a Mexican American dad and an Anglo mother, made history when she was picked fifth overall Monday night. She became just the third player of Mexican descent to be drafted in the WNBA.

Moreover, she helped the Jaquez family complete the ultimate basketball double-double. The Jaquez are the first set of Mexican American siblings to be drafted by the NBA and WNBA.

“I’m really thankful that me and my brother can represent the whole Latino community,” Gabriela Jaquez said. “Obviously being from Mexican descent it’s just really important for us to share our culture. And again all these records are great, but for me (I’m) really excited for this new opportunity. To play in the WNBA and for the Chicago Sky will be a lot of fun.”

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Gabriela Jaquez, 22, capped off a sensational college career by leading UCLA to the NCAA Tournament National Championship. The 6-foot guard-forward led the Bruins with 21 points in the rout over South Carolina in the National Championship after shutting down Texas star Madison Booker in the semifinal.

She averaged 13.5 points and 5.5 points per game as a senior to finish her four-year career with an average of 10.1 points and 5 rebounds per game.

Along the way, she proudly embraced the opportunity to inspire Mexican girls and boys and Latinos in general.

Proving Mexicans belong

“Mexicans can also be on the stage,” Jaime Sr. said.

The Sky are in a bit of a transition after trading away former LSU star Angel Reese earlier this month. As Gabriela Jaquez showed at the Final Four, she can do almost everything on the court. 

She can run the point, grab rebounds, shoot 3-pointers and drive to the basket. Defensively, she’s a menace as well. 

Gabriela Jaquez is smart, articulate and charismatic. She can stifle one of the biggest stars in the NCAA one moment, as she did against Texas’ Booker, and then perform in a dance routine with the UCLA cheerleaders, as she did multiple times this year. 

Gabriela Jaquez was a multi-sport letterman at Camarillo High before making a brief cameo on the UCLA softball team as a sophomore. As her brother showed while leading UCLA’s men to the Final Four in 2021, the Jaquez kids also have a large support system. Angela Jaquez’s family isn’t as big as Jaime Sr.’s family, but they are just as supportive. 

With roots in Jalisco, Mexico, the Jaquezes are a large and loud bunch. While Jaime Sr., Angela and Marcos joined Gabriela in New York, close to 60 friends and relatives gathered at a Camarillo restaurant to see where Gabriela would be drafted.

‘So surreal’

In a beautiful, long, black gown, Gabriela arrived at the draft with plenty of anticipation. She was excited to see where she would land. Gabriela didn’t have to wait long.

“Then obviously when I heard my name called it was so surreal,” she said. “I know where I’m going, know what team I’m going to be on, where I’m going to move. That was obviously great. 

“I’m just so excited to play for Chicago. To have my parents there, my younger brother Marcos with us was super amazing cheering super loud. Then obviously my older brother joined in on FaceTime, which really meant a lot.”

As usual, Jaime Sr. and Angela Jaquez had their children together supporting each other.

“I’m extremely proud of her to see her realize her dreams,” Jaime Sr. said. “As you know, she wrote down those dreams at a basketball camp in third or fourth grade.”