After spending three years as teammates in Storrs, Connecticut, Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers will be reunited once again on the courts of the WNBA.
Fudd was selected by the Dallas Wings with the first overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Fudd’s selection comes after a heartbreaking and lopsided defeat at the hands of South Carolina in this year’s Final Four.
The native of Fairfax, Virginia won a national title with the UConn Huskies in 2025, earning the award for Most Outstanding Player of that year’s tournament in the process.
Nicknamed ‘The People’s Princess,’ Fudd is now once again teammates with Bueckers, her fellow UConn guard.
The two are also believed to be in a romantic relationship, with Bueckers strongly hinting at it in interviews during the summer of 2025.
Azzi Fudd (R) was selected first overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings
Fudd had long been linked as the top pick in the WNBA Draft over the past few months
Fudd gets re-united with fellow guard and former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers
Bueckers and Fudd have been linked as a romantic couple since last summer
Bueckers was spotted in the crowd to cheer on Fudd for her big moment.
Speaking to Holly Rowe immediately after her selection to Dallas, Fudd did mention her excitement to play with Bueckers again.
‘I’m excited to play again with Paige, I mean she’s an incredible person, incredible player, it’s gonna be a lot of fun,’ Fudd said.
Last season, Fudd averaged 14.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists as she was looked to as the leader of the Huskies throughout the season.
Absent from the ceremony was UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, who was attending a funeral service for the husband of longtime UConn program assistant Peggy Myers.
After Fudd was selected, TCU guard Olivia Miles was chosen by the Minnesota Lynx as the second-overall pick.
Rounding out the top-five was Spanish center Awa Fam to the Seattle Storm at third-overall, UCLA center Lauren Betts to the Washington Mystics at fourth, and UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez to the Chicago Sky at fifth.
TCU guard Olivia Miles was selected second overall in the draft by the Minnesota Lynx
L-R: Picks three through five in the draft were Awa Fam, Lauren Betts and Gabriela Jaquez
Other notable selections included the first draft choices of two new teams: the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire.
At sixth overall, the Tempo selected UCLA guard Kiki Rice – making it three Bruins selected consecutively in the draft.
It marked the second time in WNBA history that three players from the same school were selected consecutively. The last time came in 2016 when UConn’s Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck were selected first, second and third.
Meanwhile, at seventh overall, the Fire chose Spain’s Iyana Martin Carrion.
LSU star and hip hop artist Flau’jae Johnson was chosen with the eighth overall pick by the Golden State Valkyries.
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