DHJ Quick Take: The Face of a New Era
- The Resilience Narrative: Fudd’s reflection on “relearning how to trust your body” after multiple ACL tears is the heart of her story. It embodies the evaluation Curt Miller emphasized; the Wings aren’t just getting a shooter, they are getting a player with elite mental toughness.
- The $500K Milestone: Entering the league as the first No. 1 pick to earn a half-million-dollar salary marks a massive shift in WNBA history. Fudd’s meeting with Nneka Ogwumike and the WNBPA reps signals she is ready to embrace her role as a league ambassador from day one.
- Chemistry over Chaos: While the “five-minute” outfit change at The Shed provided the humor, her comments on Paige Bueckers provided the tactical hope. Her confidence that they “know how to win together” suggests the Wings‘ locker room is already aligned before training camp begins.
- National Gravity: A solo appearance on GMA two days after the draft shows the “Paige-Azzi” effect is real. The Dallas Wings are now a national brand, and the May 9th opener against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever is arguably the most anticipated game in franchise history.
NEW YORK CITY — Azzi Fudd has had a couple of days to process becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. The words still aren’t coming easily.
Appearing on Good Morning America on Wednesday morning, the newest Dallas Wings guard was asked whether she had found language for the moment that left her speechless on draft night.
“Surreal,” Fudd said. “I was super grateful. I mean, that’s something I’ve been dreaming about since I was younger, so to live out my dreams, to have that come to life, was insane.”
When pressed on what it felt like, specifically when WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert called her name first at The Shed at Hudson Yards Monday night, Fudd didn’t reach for complexity.
“Like a dream come true. I really don’t know how else to describe it,” Fudd said. “I had goosebumps. My heart was beating outta my chest. I’m just super grateful.”
On Reuniting With Paige Bueckers
Fudd’s arrival in Dallas reunites her with Paige Bueckers — her former UConn teammate and fellow national champion — for the first time as professionals. The two played 49 games together with the Huskies, making two Final Four appearances, including a 2025 national championship run. Fudd is aware that the rest of the basketball world has been waiting to see what that pairing looks like in the WNBA.
“Like you said, we know how to win together. We know how to play together,” Fudd said. “So I’m super excited to get another chance to play with her and to play with all the other women on the team. I don’t know — it’s gonna be incredible. I’m so excited.”
On the Injury Journey
Before this moment could happen, Fudd had to fight her way back from injuries that derailed some of her most formative years as a college player. She tore the ACL and MCL in her right knee before arriving at UConn, missed significant time as a freshman and sophomore, and then tore the ACL in her right knee again just two games into her junior year — effectively costing her an entire season.
On Wednesday, she reflected on what that process taught her.
“I think during that process, I learned really how strong I was. I knew I was strong, but to have to go through that, to really find your resilience, learn how to love the process, trust yourself, relearn how to trust your body — I would tell them that it’s possible,” Fudd said. “Keep working hard, believe in yourself. To think that that’s where I started two years ago, I wasn’t playing — that does mean a lot.”
She averaged a career-high 17.7 points per game in her final season at UConn, shooting 48.9% from the floor, 45.5% on 3-pointers, 95.5% on free throws and leading all of Division I with 117 three-pointers made.
On the New CBA
Fudd enters the league at a historic moment financially. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, the No. 1 overall pick now earns $500,000 as a rookie — a dramatic increase from the sub-$80,000 annual salary that defined previous first overall picks, including Bueckers in 2025.
Fudd spoke about the significance of that shift with visible appreciation, noting she had a chance to hear directly from the players who fought for it.
“It’s incredible,” Fudd said. “This weekend I had a chance to talk to the president, Nneka, and some other player reps and to get to hear firsthand their experience and kind of the reasoning behind why they fought so hard and their experiences in the past and what it’s gonna be like now. It was truly incredible, and I’m so grateful to be a part of this and to help just continue and grow the game.”
Nneka Ogwumike, the WNBPA president, was among the player leadership who negotiated the new agreement — a deal that reshaped the financial landscape of the league ahead of this season.
On the Fashion Moment
No GMA appearance covering the WNBA Draft is complete without a tunnel fit conversation — and Fudd delivered, revealing that the outfit switch fans noticed Monday night came with considerably more chaos than it appeared.
“The fashion game — tunnel fits, tremendous,” Fudd said. “I mean, you look across rosters and everyone has great style, great taste, and so I’m excited for my tunnel fits.”
She credited stylist Sydney Page with pulling the looks together before disclosing the behind-the-scenes scramble between outfits.
“I had five minutes to switch my outfit, so we were like underneath the stage, like black curtains around us, struggling to change it,” Fudd said. “It was crazy.”
The Wings begin the regular season on the road against the Indiana Fever on Saturday, May 9, at 12 p.m. CT.
More Wings Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal
- Dallas Wings Sign Kyla Oldacre And Grace Sullivan To Training Camp Contracts
- ‘We’ve Known For A Little While’: Greg Bibb On Why Azzi Fudd Was The Only Choice For Dallas
- ‘She Was The Right Fit’: Jose Fernandez And Curt Miller Detail Drafting Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings’ Free Agency Moves
- ‘Nothing I Could Have Imagined’: Azzi Fudd Reacts To Dallas Wings Selection And Paige Bueckers Reunion
- ‘Ecstatic To Add Her’: Curt Miller Breaks Down Azzi Fudd As No. 1 Pick For Dallas Wings
- Dallas Wings Select Azzi Fudd No. 1 Overall, Reuniting Her With Paige Bueckers
- Rebecca Lobo On Azzi Fudd Going No. 1 To Dallas Wings: ‘She Has WNBA All-Star Potential As A Rookie’
- ‘Our Top Target’: Dallas Wings Sign Reigning WNBA Co-Defensive Player Of The Year Alanna Smith To Three-Year Max Deal
