Dallas Wings select Azzi Fudd with No. 1 pick of 2026 WNBA Draft

Dallas Wings select Azzi Fudd with No. 1 pick of 2026 WNBA Draft

The Dallas Wings selected UConn guard Azzi Fudd as the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft.

While questions had lingered about Fudd’s ability to stay healthy early during her college career, she quelled those fears over the last two seasons as she played 73 games and averaged 27 minutes per game. She hit career bests for field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage in each of her last two seasons at UConn, and that was especially impressive this season considering she had some down stretches and still finished the year knocking down 45 percent of her 3-point attempts.

Though Fudd wasn’t initially projected as the No. 1 pick, her prospects rose during free agency as the Wings acquired a slew of talented, experienced post players. After signing WNBA co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith, general manager Curt Miller was looking for a guard. The Wings later signed Smith’s Lynx teammate Jessica Shepard, as well as reportedly re-signing 6-foot-6 center Awak Kuier to a one-year deal and 6-7 center Li Yueru to a training camp contract.

With the Wings building in the paint, Fudd’s ability to play in the backcourt with former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers, who was the No. 1 pick last year by Dallas. She’ll also be paired with Arike Ogunbowale in the backcourt.

Unlike many recent seasons, there wasn’t a clear No. 1 pick in this year’s draft class — Awa Fam Thiam and Lauren Betts had both separated themselves as the top post prospects available, Olivia Miles’ passing ability had made her the best point guard option and Azzi Fudd had separated herself as a shooter and impact scorer for a future WNBA franchise.

But, with Fudd now in the fold, Dallas enters the 2026 season primed for a massive turnaround led by first-year coach Jose Fernandez, who will be the Wings’ third coach in three seasons. Fernandez spent the last 25 years at South Florida, turning the mid-major program into a perennial NCAA Tournament team, using player development and deep overseas recruiting connections to build his roster.

“He is known for putting his players in a position to succeed. As the game and WNBA continue to become global, no coach in this country has recruited and successfully coached international players better than Jose. I can’t wait to partner with Jose and support his vision for our Dallas Wings,” Miller told the Associated Press after hiring Fernandez.

Even with Fudd surrounded by a roster loaded with talent, Fernandez will have his work cut out for him. The franchise hasn’t experienced sustained success since relocating from Tulsa, Okla., in 2016 and has seen many high-profile players depart. Since arriving in Dallas, the Wings have advanced out of the first round of the playoffs only once and haven’t made the playoffs since 2023. Through the last two seasons, the franchise has gone 19-65.

With the intention of moving all operations from Arlington, Texas, to Dallas, the Wings are building a new 70,000-square-foot training facility, which will exceed standards laid out in the new collective bargaining agreement. The building was delayed more than a year as costs ballooned, but it is now set for completion in 2027 with a final cost of $81 million.

The Wings will play its 2026 home games at UT-Arlington, except for three games which will be played at Dallas’ American Airlines Center (July 12 versus the Chicago Sky, Aug. 7 versus the Golden State Valkyries and Aug. 20 versus the Indiana Fever). The Wings will play their full 2027 slate of games at American Airlines Center while updates are completed on Memorial Auditorium, the planned home for the Wings, which should be ready for the 2028 season.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries, Portland Fire, Toronto Tempo, WNBA

2026 The Athletic Media Company