Azzi Fudd Goes No. 1 to Dallas in 2026 WNBA Draft

The 2026 WNBA Draft, held Monday night at The Shed in New York, saw UConn standout Azzi Fudd selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Wings, setting the stage for a highly anticipated reunion with her former college teammate and girlfriend, Paige Bueckers, who joined the franchise last year.

Fudd, a 23-year-old shooting guard known for her elite three-point shooting and floor spacing, expressed enthusiasm about linking up again with Bueckers. "Paige is an incredible player. Everybody knows that. She's someone that makes playing basketball easy," Fudd said in a post-draft interview. "I think just the prior experience, knowing how to play with her, play off of her, will only help going into this." The duo's on-court chemistry, honed during UConn's 54-game winning streak and 2025 national championship, could address Dallas's struggles from last season, when the Wings ranked among the league's worst three-point shooting teams despite Bueckers earning All-Star and All-WNBA Second Team honors. The team finished at the bottom of the standings, prompting a push for immediate improvement through familiar talent.

Under the league's new collective bargaining agreement, Fudd's...