UPDATE: The UCLA Bruins made their appearance on Tuesday night’s Kimmel, where the host gifted them a decoy trophy in case they’re invited to the White House.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is adding some hometown champions to its lineup.
The ABC late-night show has made a last-minute booking for Tuesday night, welcoming four UCLA women’s basketball standouts—center Lauren Betts, guards Gabriela Jaquez and Kiki Rice, and forward Angela Dugalić—alongside head coach Cori Close, just two days after the Bruins captured the 2026 NCAA championship.
Their appearance follows a commanding 79–51 victory over South Carolina on Sunday, delivering the program’s first NCAA-era national title and capping a dominant 37–1 season.
The win marked a series of major milestones for the program. It was UCLA women’s basketball’s first NCAA championship after decades as a contender, and its first national title of any kind since a 1978 AIAW victory—ending a 48-year drought. The Bruins’ 28-point rout of South Carolina also stands as one of the largest margins in a Division I women’s championship game, punctuating a season that saw the team “run it back” after last year’s Final Four loss.
The title run carried conference-wide significance as well, snapping a 27-year championship drought for Big Ten women’s basketball.
For Kimmel, the booking is a natural fit. As Los Angeles’ hometown late-night host, he has long served as a go-to platform for major local sports moments.
Tuesday’s episode will also feature Oscar Isaac and Scott Speedman. Musical guest Mitski, originally scheduled for Tuesday, has been moved to Wednesday’s show.
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