NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 13: Azzi Fudd of UConn celebrates after being selected with the 1st pick in the first round by the Dallas Wings during the 2026 WNBA Draft at The Shed on April 13, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK — In late October, Jose Fernandez was hired by the Dallas Wings to become the franchise’s new head coach.
Less than a month later, he chose to spend his first scouting trip up in Storrs to visit an old friend and get an in-person glimpse of his future No. 1 WNBA Draft pick.
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On Monday evening, at The Shed in New York City, Fernandez and Wings’ General Manager Curt Miller made WNBA and UConn women’s basketball history by drafting Azzi Fudd with the No. 1 overall pick. Fudd and Paige Bueckers, who was drafted first by Dallas last year, are the first former college teammates to be drafted No. 1 by the same franchise.
“(Fudd) was a right fit for this team. She was the right fit for the locker room,” said Fernandez following the draft over Zoom. “She brings what this team needed in regards to spacing, her quick release, her 3-point shooting and she’s coming from a program that is great in the locker room. They know how to win, and that’s what we want here in Dallas.”
While Fernandez and Miller understand the draw and special chemistry Fudd and Bueckers share on and off the court, both reiterated Monday that Fudd was always their “target” in the college draft because of her off-ball movement, defense, elite shooting and selfless personality.
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UConn guard Azzi Fudd poses with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall by the Dallas Wings in the first round of the WNBA basketball draft Monday, April 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Pamela Smith/AP
“We can’t be more pleased to draft Azzi Fudd, a true winner, competitor, hard worker, one of the most unselfish superstars at the collegiate level, and obviously has shown incredible perseverance throughout her collegiate career,” said Miller, who coached the Connecticut Sun from 2016 to 2022.
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Fudd and Bueckers became best friends while playing for Team USA in high school. They were back-to-back No. 1-ranked high school recruits and shared four years together in Storrs, despite playing only about 1.5 seasons together on the court due to injuries.
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When asked about Fudd and Bueckers’ chemistry, Miller said he appreciates that each player is uniquely individual and wanted the focus on Monday night to remain on Fudd. The Wings’ GM later added that he consulted with Dallas’s stars, including Bueckers, on which draftees and free agents stood out within the roster-building process. Fernandez also said he spent time in Storrs talking to Geno Auriemma about Fudd and how she’d fit in in Dallas.
“I think first and foremost, you see them differently,” said Miller of Fudd and Bueckers. “You see Paige for who she is, and you see Azzi for who she is. And while they’re terrific teammates, they won a championship together, they have synergy together; it’s about what they both individually bring. … The partnership is wonderful, but this night is about Azzi.”
UConn guard Azzi Fudd talks after being selected first overall by the Dallas Wings in the first round of the WNBA basketball draft Monday, April 13, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Pamela Smith/AP
The Wings’ biggest priority in free agency was to bring in size to help spread out the offense. Dallas signed 6-foot-4 Alanna Smith, 6-4 Jessica Shepard and activated 6-6 center Awak Kuier to bolster its frontcourt. Those additions allowed Miller and Fernandez to bring in Fudd, knowing their backcourt was missing a 3-point threat. Both Miller and Fernandez said they were impressed with Fudd’s growth on the defensive side of the ball as well.
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“It’s going to free her (Fudd) up for a lot of things, but I just like how she’s going to get open in transition and also in the half-court,” said Fernandez. “… I just think her versatility, along with the people that we’re going to have on the floor with her; it’s going to take a lot of load off her coming in as a rookie.”
Added Miller: “Obviously, the skills on the court start with her offensive game and her elite shooting ability, her lightning-quick release, her movement when she’s off the ball is truly, truly special. Defensively, she competes. She’s intelligent. She’s got great basketball IQ. … Azzi was our pick, is our pick, but the free agency success in the post made it crystal clear. Azzi is the right fit with this group.”
Fudd’s work ethic, especially after coming back from two ACL injuries within four years, and her personable locker-room personality stood out the most to Fernandez and Miller, who are looking to make Dallas a championship contender after missing the WNBA Playoffs for the last two seasons. Last year, despite Bueckers’ Rookie of the Year season, Dallas finished last in the league with a 10-34 record.
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“She wants to be great, and the great ones want to be coached; they want to be told the truth,” said Fernandez. “She has incredible work ethic. She does things outside of the required times that she did in college, and that’s why she’s special.”
Added Miller: “She’s a winner. She’s a really hard worker. She puts time into her craft. She’s competitive, but she’s an incredible teammate with her unselfishness, and that UConn locker room knows how to win.”