By: Jennifer Portee
4/13/2026
The stage lights hit different when your destiny’s calling. For Azzi Fudd, that moment came loud and clear Monday night when the Dallas Wings made her the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Fudd walked across The Shed at Hudson Yards’ stage radiating calm between the chao, built for this. The UConn star, whose jumper feels like poetry and whose demeanor screams leadership, now steps into a franchise hungry for a fresh chapter. And the irony? She’s teaming back up with her college co-star, Paige Bueckers, the reigning Rookie of the Year. Call it divine timing or just basketball’s way of bringing things full circle.
“We know each other’s game. We don’t have to say much,” Fudd said after her selection. “It’s chemistry — and it’s real.”
That chemistry powered UConn’s 2025 national championship run, a season that reminded the basketball world how dominant the Huskies could be when both guards were healthy and locked in. Now, that same connection shifts to Dallas, a franchise with rising stars and playoff expectations.
Fudd’s contract also reflects how the league is changing. Her four-year rookie deal, worth about $2.23 million, underscores the WNBA’s evolution with more visibility, higher pay, and growing investment in young stars.
For Fudd, the Dallas chapter feels like the perfect sequel. The Wings have speed, spacing, and now, two backcourt visionaries who have already proven they can win on the biggest stage.
If chemistry translates the way everyone expects, Dallas could go from “team on the rise” to championship contenders. And as the lights dimmed on draft night, one thing felt certain this reunion was about more than nostalgia. It was about building something lasting in Dallas.