For the Jaquez family, basketball has truly become a treasured tradition. On Monday, the Chicago Sky chose Gabriela Jaquez as the fifth overall pick in the WNBA Draft, marking her as the second professional player in her family. Her younger brother, Jaime Jaquez Jr., has been playing with the Miami Heat for the past three seasons.
Jaime shared his excitement on social media, saying how blessed he felt for his sister. “Mom, we made it!” he posted, reflecting the family’s joy.
Gabriela had an impressive college career with UCLA, playing a crucial role in her team’s national championship victory. During the championship game, she recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists, contributing significantly to a decisive 79-51 win over South Carolina.
Over her four years at UCLA, she participated in 38 games this season alone, averaging 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Her shooting accuracy was noteworthy, with a 53.9% field goal percentage and 39% from beyond the arc.
Notably, she earned places on several prestigious teams, including the 2025-26 NCAA All-Tournament Team and the 2025-26 All-Big Ten Team.
Unfortunately, Jaime couldn’t be there to support his sister on her special night, as he was busy preparing for the Heat’s upcoming NBA Play-In Tournament game against the Charlotte Hornets.
This season, Jaime experienced his best year yet, playing in 75 games off the bench and averaging 15.4 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. He aims to bring that energy to the game against the Hornets next Tuesday evening.
