Cori Close on UCLA’s Title and the Road Ahead

Chantel Jennings chats with UCLA head coach Cori Close about the whirlwind following UCLA Women’s Basketball’s national title win, the lessons learned from past experiences, and what it takes to build a championship culture. Coach Close also shares the influence of John Wooden and discusses the evolving landscape of college sports—particularly the transfer portal and NIL era. She outlines her strategic approach to recruiting and emphasizes the importance of institutional support for sustained success. No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/ 00:00 Intro 03:17 UCLA dominate WNBA draft with record six selections 06:07 The unique cohesion of UCLA 09:44 Learning from past experiences 13:06 The influence of John Wooden 24:03 UCLA’s strategic planning for future success 29:13 Navigating the transfer portal 33:40 The role of NIL in modern recruiting Related links and articles: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7174739/2026/04/05/ucla-national-championship-seniors/ by Sabreena Merchant https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7194771/2026/04/13/wnba-draft-2026-grades-first-round-azzi-fudd/ by Sabreena Merchant and Chantel Jennings  Follow and listen to the audio podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/no-offseason-the-athletic-womens-basketball-show/id1699815468 Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at NoOffseason@TheAthletic.com Show Links: -YouTube: @No-Offseason -Instagram: @tanooffseason [https://www.instagram.com/tanooffseason] -TikTok: @no_offseason [https://www.tiktok.com/@no_offseason] Credits: -Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita -Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm -Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings -Produced by Taneka Burrell -Executive Produced by Andrea B. Scott Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports Hub: https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-sports/?guccounter=1 Full Episodes Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm7txmok7cpMB3YlgkwrT2E0 Shorts Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm72uhBjsd24rsh5teZtgUpS Thumbnail: Christian Petersen / Staff / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images