Azzi Fudd goes No. 1

Dallas used the first pick in the 2026 Women’s National Basketball Association draft on Connecticut guard Azzi Fudd on Monday night in New York. (espn.com) ESPN reported the pick comes with a $500,000 rookie payout, and the Wings announced Fudd after the draft opened at The Shed at Hudson Yards on April 13. (espn.com) (wings.wnba.com) Minnesota followed at No. 2 with Texas Christian guard Olivia Miles, who averaged 19.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 38 starts this season, according to the Lynx. (lynx.wnba.com) Fudd arrives in Dallas after five seasons at Connecticut, where she won the 2025 national title and earned 2026 Associated Press first-team All-America honors. (wings.wnba.com) (uconnhuskies.com) Her final college season ended with 14.7 points per game and 46.9% shooting from the field, and she shot 44.8% from three-point range in the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament, according to ESPN’s game log. (espn.com) The pick also reunites Fudd with Paige Bueckers, the former Connecticut teammate who is already on the Dallas roster and is listed at 19.2 points and 5.4 assists per game. (cbsnews.com) (wings.wnba.com) The rest of the first round quickly turned into a showcase for reigning national champion University of California, Los Angeles. Lauren Betts went No. 4 to Washington, Gabriela Jaquez went No. 5 to Chicago, and Kiki Rice went No. 6 to Toronto. (espn.com) (uclabruins.com) By the end of the night, UCLA had six players drafted overall and five in the first round, both Women’s National Basketball Association draft records, according to ESPN and the school. (espn.com) (uclabruins.com) For Dallas, the first pick closes a two-year run of building around former Connecticut guards. The Wings roster now lists Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale and Fudd in the same backcourt group. (wings.wnba.com) Fudd said on ESPN that she plans to bring “that UConn mentality” to Dallas. Monday’s draft made that plan official. (espn.com)