{"id":248324,"date":"2026-04-13T23:47:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T23:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/248324\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T23:47:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T23:47:09","slug":"dallas-wings-select-uconn-star-azzi-fudd-with-the-no-1-pick-in-the-2026-wnba-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/248324\/","title":{"rendered":"Dallas Wings select UConn star Azzi Fudd with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, the Dallas Wings<\/a> selected UConn star shooting guard Azzi Fudd. <\/p>\n

Reaction to Azzi Fudd getting drafted first overall to the Dallas Wings at the watch party here at Happiest Hour. <\/p>\n

Absolute madhouse. #WNBADraft<\/a> @CBSNewsTexas<\/a> @CBSSportsTexas<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/pzWGzp9GRw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Johnny Resendiz (@Johnnyresendizz) April 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Fudd, who is also the former teammate of last year’s No. 1 pick, Paige Bueckers, won a championship at UConn alongside Bueckers in 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I’m excited to play again with Paige, she’s an incredible player,” Fudd said. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Fudd is also one of the best 3-point shooters to come out of college this year. <\/p>\n

“Azzi Fudd is one of the best shooters in our game today,” said Dallas Wings Executive Vice President and General Manager Curt Miller. “She has a lightning-quick release and her movement off the ball is elite. She competes hard defensively and is an efficient, unselfish player who knows how to win. In an outstanding draft class, she stood out to us not only with her basketball skills but with her intangibles. She is a great teammate and has outstanding basketball IQ. Azzi brings to the Wings the type of character that we want in our locker room. We are ecstatic to add her to our Wings family.” \u00a0<\/p>\n

Fudd averaged 17.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.5 steals for the Huskies this season. She should work well not only with Bueckers, but with Dallas’ leading scorer Arike Ogunbowale, whom they re-signed to a multi-year deal over the weekend. <\/p>\n

Fudd also has experience on the international level with USA Basketball, winning a gold medal at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup, 2018 FIBA U17 World Cup and 2017 FIBA Americas U16 Championship. She won a tournament title at the 2018 Latvia U17 International Invitational and competed in the 2019 USA 3×3 U19 National Championship. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Dallas also added forwards Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard<\/a> from the Minnesota Lynx. <\/p>\n

The new\u00a0collective bargaining agreement<\/a>\u00a0that was ratified last month gave huge pay raises to rookies. Fudd will make nearly seven-times what Bueckers earned last season as the top choice. The No. 2 and No. 3 picks will get $466,913 and $436,016, respectively.<\/p>\n

Second- and third-round picks will make $270,000 \u2014 which is more than the previous maximum salary in the old CBA.<\/p>\n

A look at the top prospects of this year’s draft\u00a0<\/p>\n

Minnesota took Olivia Miles of TCU with the No. 2 pick. Miles decided to stay in college last season instead of enter the WNBA draft. She transferred from Notre Dame to the Horned Frogs. She helped the team reach the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year.<\/p>\n

Seattle, Washington and Chicago rounded out the top five. Expansion teams Toronto and Portland pick next. The Tempo chose to have the\u00a0higher pick in the college draft<\/a>\u00a0after winning a coin toss, giving the Fire the top choice in the expansion draft earlier this month.<\/p>\n

Golden State is next, with Washington owning the ninth and 11th picks. Indiana chooses between them. Connecticut, Atlanta, Seattle and the Sun close out the first round.<\/p>\n

In:<\/p>\n