WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert (left) poses with Azzi Fudd after Fudd was selected first overall during the 2026 WNBA draft. Photo: David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Wings begin their 2026 season next month with two former UConn stars who won an NCAA championship together.
The team snagged Azzi Fudd with the first pick in the WNBA draft last night.
Why it matters: After years of struggles, the Dallas Wings have a new head coach and added a slew of players during the free agency, including WNBA co-defensive player of the year Alanna Smith.
The intrigue: Fudd and Paige Bueckers — the first overall draft pick last year — built strong chemistry in the backcourt at UConn.
"[Fudd] competes hard defensively and is an efficient, unselfish player who knows how to win," Wings general manager Curt Miller said in a statement.
State of play: Fudd was named the NCAA women's tournament's most outstanding player last year. She started in 39 games in the 2025-26 season, leading in Division 1 for total three-pointers made.
"It's such an incredible opportunity to be a woman in sports right now, to be entering the WNBA at this time, with this momentum. ... I'm so grateful to be here," Fudd told ESPN last night.
Zoom out: Olivia Miles, who led TCU to the women's Elite Eight this year, was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx as the No. 2 overall pick.
Miles has also signed a multi-year contract with Unrivaled, the 3x3 pro women's basketball league. The league's season begins in January.
What's next: The Wings' preseason begins on April 30 and includes a game at Austin's Moody Center.
The team will play three games at American Airlines Center this year, including an AAC rematch with Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever in August.
Most Wings games will be played at College Park Center in Arlington.
