There is a lot of intrigue around where UConn Huskies star guard Azzi Fudd will go in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Many believe that Fudd has proven enough in her final college season to be the draft’s No. 1 overall pick, which belongs to the Dallas Wings (where Fudd’s former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers plays). Some feel like the Wings might be more inclined to select a forward or center, like UCLA star Lauren Betts or Awa Fam from Spain.
What’s for sure is that Fudd has shown a ton of development over the past year and looks destined to be an immediate impact player for whichever team she lands with. And so long as she stays healthy throughout this NCAA season, it’s hard to imagine that Fudd will slide past the draft’s No. 3 pick.
Azzi Fudd | IMAGO / Icon Sportswire
Sophie Cunningham Names Azzi Fudd As Top WNBA Draft Choice
Sophie Cunningham has a clear idea of when Fudd should be selected in this year’s WNBA Draft, which she conveyed during a March 11 episode of her “Show Me Something” podcast.
When asked whether she thinks there’s anybody in the 2026 WNBA Draft who is a sleeper of extra special from the rest, Cunningham said, “I mean, I have my few. I think Azzi Fudd, from Connecticut, is clearly going to be on everyone’s—everyone wants her, as they should.”
Cunningham was later asked who she would take if she had the top pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft and said, “That’s a great question. I think I would—I think Azzi would be good. I think that she is very dynamic, she can shoot, she’s a smart player, she’s a team player.”
She then added, “If I were on a team that needs a big, I would get the UCLA girl. [Lauren] Betts. She’s big, she has a lot of potential. She needs some work, but great body, great feel for the game. She’d be good. Olivia Miles, who was at Notre Dame and now at TCU, she’s gonna be pretty good… Flau’jae from LSU, she’s also a rapper, too. So that could be kind of fun.”
There’s still a lot that can happen between now and the 2026 WNBA Draft, which is supposed to happen on April 13. The biggest question is whether a new CBA will be ratified by then, which could throw the draft timeline into flux.
Fudd has a chance to prove Cunningham right in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.