Azzi Fudd is heading to the Dallas Wings as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, reuniting with her former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers, who was selected first by the Wings in the 2025 draft. The announcement came on April 13, 2026, during the WNBA Draft held in New York City, where Fudd was selected by Dallas with the top pick, securing a rookie contract worth $500,000 over four years under the current WNBA collective bargaining agreement.
The Wings’ decision to draft Fudd No. 1 continues their recent trend of selecting UConn guards in the top spot, following Bueckers’ selection in 2025. Fudd, a 5-foot-11 guard, spent five seasons with the UConn Huskies, including the 2025 NCAA Championship season, and is widely recognized as one of the premier shooters in women’s college basketball. Her arrival in Dallas gives the Wings a dynamic backcourt duo with Bueckers, both of whom were instrumental in UConn’s success during their overlapping seasons.
Minnesota Lynx selected TCU guard Olivia Miles with the No. 2 overall pick in the same draft, continuing a trend of elite guards being chosen early. Miles, a former McDonald’s All-American, played three seasons at TCU before declaring for the draft. The Lynx, who held the second pick through their own record, are looking to add a defensive-minded playmaker to complement their existing roster.
The 2026 WNBA Draft also marked a historic moment for UCLA, which became the first school to have four players selected in the first round, surpassing UConn’s previous record of four first-round picks set in 2002. UCLA center Lauren Betts was taken fourth overall by the Washington Mystics, even as forward Gabriela Jaquez went fifth to the Indiana Fever. Teammate Kiki Rice was selected sixth by the expansion Toronto Tempo, marking the franchise’s first-ever draft pick.
Fudd expressed her excitement about joining the Wings and reuniting with Bueckers, stating in a post-draft interview with ESPN: “I’m not really sure I have words to describe that feeling what that meant. I don’t think it’s fully sunk in. It’s nothing I could have imagined. The feeling of sitting with my family, with [UConn assistant] Morgan [Valley], hearing your name called, go up there. Such a surreal feeling.” She added that playing alongside Bueckers would make the transition easier: “Paige is an incredible player, everyone knows that. She’s someone that makes playing basketball with easy.”
The Wings’ selection of Fudd also highlights their ongoing strategy of building around young, elite talent acquired through the draft. In addition to Bueckers and now Fudd, Dallas has invested in developing a core of homegrown players, aiming to return to contention after several seasons of rebuilding. The team, which last reached the WNBA Finals in 2021, has undergone significant roster turnover in recent years but sees its recent draft picks as foundational to future success.
On the same night, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert presided over the draft proceedings, marking her seventh draft as commissioner since taking office in 2019. Engelbert has overseen significant growth in league visibility, sponsorship deals, and player compensation during her tenure, including the recent negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement that increased rookie scale salaries and improved player benefits.
The draft also featured several notable second-round selections, including Charlisse Leger-Walker, who was picked by the Las Vegas Aces. Leger-Walker, a guard from Washington State, had been a standout performer in the Pac-12 and was praised for her defensive versatility and three-point shooting.
As the Wings prepare for the upcoming 2026 WNBA season, the integration of Fudd and Bueckers into the team’s system will be a key storyline. Both players are known for their high basketball IQ, shooting ability, and leadership qualities. Head coach Vickie Johnson, who returned to the Wings in 2023 after a stint as an assistant with the Las Vegas Aces, will be tasked with maximizing their talents while continuing to develop the rest of the roster.
The official WNBA season is set to tip off in May 2026, with the Wings opening their campaign on May 15 against the Atlanta Dream. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how the Fudd-Bueckers duo performs together at the professional level, especially given their storied history at UConn, where they helped lead the Huskies to back-to-back Final Four appearances in 2024 and 2025.
For ongoing updates on the Dallas Wings, player signings, and season preparations, readers can visit the team’s official website or follow the WNBA’s official channels for schedule releases, roster moves, and league announcements.
Stay tuned to World Today Journal for continued coverage of the WNBA Draft and its impact on the league’s evolving landscape.
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