Kiki Rice Shares the Secret Ingredient to UCLA’s Championship-Winning Game Plan

Kiki Rice on UCLA’s Big Win and What’s NextGetty Images

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Kiki Rice has a lot to celebrate right now. The 22-year-old point guard just won a National Championship with her UCLA teammates, a year after losing in the Final Four. As a senior, it was her last chance to win the title—and it was a first for UCLA’s women’s team.

It was hard to miss the vibe surrounding the UCLA team. While every other team in the Final Four had serious-looking team photos, UCLA’s team photo showed them all striking some kind of pose. The team could also regularly be seen smiling and having fun during warmups. (Kiki tells Women’s Health this was by design.)

While her team’s big win just happened, this superstar is already looking ahead to the WNBA draft on April 13. “I’m really excited for that and to figure out where I’ll end up,” Kiki says.

But she has new business opportunities coming up, too. Case in point: Kiki was just named as the first ambassador for nail care company MiniLuxe, and is taking a financial stake in the business to support its mission of advancing pay equity for nail technicians. She also has plans to work with MiniLuxe on products that help care for hands on and off the court. Here’s what she shared exclusively with WH about her March Madness self-care routine, feeling confident on the court, plus what’s next.

The national championship was a fairytale ending to her UCLA career.

“It’s been a crazy last few days, but it’s so exciting. It’s an incredible ending to my college career. It’s been fantastic to enjoy with my teammates. There’s literally no better way to end your college career.”

She feels like a March Madness veteran.

“I’m used to [the chaos around March Madness] at this point. This was my second Final Four. But the opportunities we get, the stage, the environment … It was really fun. The national championship game especially—I grew up watching that game.”

The team’s fun energy was no accident.

“That’s something that’s been a staple of our team the entire year. Our coach [Cori Close] really values us not only competing, but having fun and enjoying ourselves while we do it.

It allows us to play free and stay loose. We try to make things fun and just enjoy our presence. We wanted to keep playing because we wanted to play together longer.”

She leaned on a popular series to unwind during the tournament.

“There’s a lot going on during March Madness, a lot of people wanting your attention. The most successful competitors narrow their focus. I limited my social media a ton. I was not looking at a lot of basketball content and what people were saying. I was just focusing on what our coaches were telling us.

I was also binging Game of Thrones [during downtime]—I was watching that a lot. Sleeping, napping, binging Game of Thrones.”

She doesn’t neglect her nails during the season.

“I keep it simple and low maintenance. I just want to make sure my nails are healthy and strong. It’s nice to feel cute and pretty on the court. I like to do cute designs and colors when I can. It’s always nice to add a pop of color.

During the tournament, I partnered with MiniLuxe. We created a special Bruins press-on set. It was really cool because it was inspired by UCLA colors and our logos. They were pretty long, so I couldn’t wear them while I was playing. But for my actual nails I had a UCLA-inspired set with UCLA blue and yellow colors. I got a lot of compliments on them.”

She’s excited to see where women’s basketball will go from here.

“I think it will only continue to improve, and the attention, popularity, and notoriety that women’s sports and women’s basketball [get] will continue to skyrocket.

When I have little girls that come up to me, I always just say, ‘Have fun doing it, and always be the hardest-working person on your team. Cherish the relationships you have, and enjoy every single moment with your teammates.’”

You Might Also Like

• I've Tried Hundreds Of Clothing Brands, But These 10 Are My Favorite
• A Doctor Shares The 3 Most Important Changes For Losing Fat And Building Muscle
• This Fitness Tool Adds Resistance To Cardio And Strength Training—Here Are 3 I Recommend To Clients