Azzi Fudd Selected No. 1 In WNBA Draft By Dallas Wings

Such a surreal feeling. Fudd joins Bueckers in Dallas, reuniting the former Huskies teammates and giving UConn a record seven No. 1 overall selections in WNBA Draft history. Bueckers was present at the draft alongside several of Fudd's former Connecticut teammates. Paige is an incredible player, everyone knows that, Fudd said. She's someone that makes playing basketball with easy. Fudd averaged career highs across multiple categories in 2025-26, posting 17.3 points, 48 percent shooting, 45 percent from three, and 3.1 assists per game. She made 117 three-pointers this past season, fourth most in UConn history, and 196 over the past two seasons, the most in Division I over that span. Her path to Dallas included significant injury hurdles, including a torn ACL that limited her to just two games in 2023-24. UCLA made history as the draft's deepest program. Lauren Betts went fourth to Washington, Gabriela Jaquez fifth to Chicago, and Kiki Rice sixth to expansion franchise Toronto, breaking UConn's record of four first-round selections set in 2002. The Bruins tied the all-time record of five total players drafted, shared previously by Tennessee, Notre Dame, and South Carolina. Minnesota took TCU guard Olivia Miles with the No. 2 pick. Seattle selected Spain center Awa Fam Thiam third before Portland, in its first-ever pick as an expansion franchise, chose Spanish guard Iyana Martin Carrion. Under the new CBA, second and third-round picks will earn 270,000, a figure that surpasses the previous maximum salary under the old agreement. I'm just blessed and grateful to come at this time, said No. 8 pick Flau'jae Johnson, who was traded to Seattle after being selected by Golden State. My goal is to leave it better than I found it.