DHJ Quick Take: The Blueprint for Success
- The “Sure Bet” Profile: Curt Miller’s emphasis on “intangibles” and “basketball IQ” aligns with the consensus that Azzi Fudd is the most professional-ready prospect in the 2026 class. Her career .489/.455/.955 shooting splits provide an immediate fix for a Wings team that lacked spacing last season.
- Structural Flexibility: As Miller previously told Dallas Hoops Journal, the goal was to find a player who could alleviate pressure on Paige Bueckers. Fudd’s 90th-percentile off-screen efficiency allows Paige to focus on playmaking without being “worn down” by full-court defensive pressure.
- Addressing the Gap: Fudd led all of Division I with 117 three-pointers made last year. For a Wings offense that ranked last in the league in 3PT attempts, her ability to convert on guarded catch-and-shoot looks (94th percentile) is a tactical game-changer.
- Culture and Chemistry: By selecting a second consecutive UConn star, Miller is doubling down on “great humans” in the locker room. The Bueckers-Fudd chemistry isn’t just a marketing win; it’s a proven championship engine that Jose Fernandez can deploy from Day 1.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Wings made it official Monday night, selecting UConn guard Azzi Fudd with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft — and general manager Curt Miller wasted no time explaining exactly why.
“Azzi Fudd is one of the best shooters in our game today,” Miller said. “She has a lightning-quick release and her movement off the ball is elite. She competes hard defensively and is an efficient, unselfish player who knows how to win. In an outstanding draft class, she stood out to us not only with her basketball skills but with her intangibles. She is a great teammate and has outstanding basketball IQ. Azzi brings to the Wings the type of character that we want in our locker room. We are ecstatic to add her to our Wings family.”
A Busy Dallas Wings Offseason
The selection was months in the making. Dallas entered free agency with genuine frontcourt needs, but Miller addressed them methodically — signing Alanna Smith to a three-year max deal, adding Jessica Shepard, retaining Li Yueru, and bringing back Awak Kuier before the draft began. With interior depth no longer the most pressing concern, the path to Fudd cleared itself.
Fudd fits both configurations. She is elite moving without the ball — her off-screen PPP ranked in the 90th percentile according to Synergy Sports data, and her spot-up efficiency came in at 1.210 PPP at the 97th percentile. Her guarded catch-and-shoot mark registered at 1.21 at the 94th percentile, meaning she doesn’t need a clean look to convert. She shot 44.5% from three on 263 attempts in her final season at UConn — 98th percentile by Synergy, rated Excellent — and led all of Division I with 117 three-pointers made.
Miller’s emphasis on intangibles and winning culture is equally grounded in fact. Fudd played in 49 games alongside Bueckers at UConn, making two Final Four appearances including the 2025 national championship. She averaged 17.5 points per game in the NCAA Tournament that spring and was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player. In her final season, she averaged a career-high 17.7 points per game on .489/.455/.955 shooting splits — numbers that place her among the most efficient perimeter scorers in recent college basketball history.
A Historic Selection
Fudd becomes the seventh UConn player selected No. 1 overall in WNBA Draft history.
She also becomes the second consecutive Husky taken first overall by Dallas, joining Bueckers — the 2025 Rookie of the Year — at the top of a franchise that has now used back-to-back No. 1 picks to build what it hopes is a perennial contender.
More Azzi Fudd & Wings Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal
- 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’
- Evaluating Top Options For Dallas Wings At No. 1 Overall In 2026 WNBA Draft
- Dallas Wings Sign Four To Training Camp Contracts, Including Amy Okonkwo
- ‘Positioned To Be Very Aggressive’: How Dallas Wings Executed Curt Miller’s Vision Laid For Offseason Moves
- ‘Our Top Target’: Dallas Wings Sign Reigning WNBA Co-Defensive Player Of The Year Alanna Smith To Three-Year Max Deal
- ‘A Huge Priority’: Curt Miller Details Why Dallas Wings Brought Back Center Awak Kuier
- Curt Miller Praises Arike Ogunbowale’s ‘Undeniable’ Commitment To Dallas Wings, Details Re-Signing All-Time Scoring Leader
- ‘High Basketball IQ’: Curt Miller Details Why Jessica Shepard Was A Free-Agent Priority For The Dallas Wings
