The Dallas Wings have earned the No. 1 overall pick in consecutive WNBA Drafts, and in the eyes of the league’s general managers, the franchise has made good use of these coveted selections.
Paige Bueckers was the consensus top pick in the 2025 draft before arriving in Dallas last season, and the Wings selected her former UConn women’s basketball teammate Azzi Fudd from a more crowded draft field this year. Now, the Wings will look to finally break out of the WNBA basement this season with a young core led by Bueckers and Fudd that includes seven total players with three or fewer years of professional experience.
Thirty-one percent of respondents stated that the Wings have the WNBA’s “most promising young core,” which is tied with Angel Reese’s Atlanta Dream for the highest in the league. Good or bad, Dallas’ entertainment value is glaring to executives as well, with respondents selecting the Wings as the WNBA’s “most fun” team to watch.
Bueckers cruised to Rookie of the Year honors last season, setting a new UConn record for scoring average as a WNBA rookie at 19.2 points, and she’s been hyper-efficient in the Wings’ two preseason games this year. General managers believe that her do-it-all skillset would translate outside of Dallas as well, named as the most popular answer when respondents were asked, if starting a franchise today, which WNBA player would they choose as a centerpiece.
Meanwhile, and especially as No. 1 overall picks go, WNBA general managers are lacking confidence in Fudd to reach a similar plateau. Olivia Miles was the runaway pick to win the 2026 Rookie of the Year at 73%, while Fudd received zero votes when respondents were asked to name which current rookie would be the best player in five years.