2026 WNBA Draft Shakes Up League: Azzi Fudd Leads Wings Reunion, UCLA Sets Record with Six Picks
The 2026 WNBA Draft delivered drama, history, and star power on Monday night at The Shed in New York City’s Hudson Yards, with the Dallas Wings selecting UConn guard Azzi Fudd as the No. 1 overall pick, setting the stage for a highly anticipated reunion with her former college teammate and 2025 Rookie of the Year, Paige Bueckers.[1][3][9]
Fudd, an Arlington, Virginia native and the Most Outstanding Player of the 2025 NCAA Final Four, averaged over 17 points per game last season while shooting nearly 45% from three-point range, leading UConn to its 25th Final Four appearance.[7] Her selection marks the second straight year a UConn guard went first overall, echoing last year’s pick of Bueckers. The duo, who won a national championship together, now aim to elevate the Wings alongside star Arike Ogunbowale.[1][4]
UCLA Bruins Make Draft History
In a historic feat, the UCLA Bruins became the first college program to have six players selected in a single WNBA Draft, surpassing previous records and highlighting the depth of their recent NCAA championship roster.[2][1]
- No. 4: Lauren Betts (C, 6-7) to Washington Mystics
- No. 5: Gabriela Jaquez (SG, UCLA) to Chicago Sky (from Connecticut)
- No. 6: Kiki Rice to Toronto Tempo
- No. 9: Angela Dugalić (PF, 6-4) to Washington Mystics (from Seattle)
- No. 15: Gianna Kneepkens to Connecticut Sun (from Minnesota via Washington)
- No. 18: Charlisse Leger-Walker to Connecticut Sun (implied from context)
Betts, Dugalić, Jaquez, and Rice marked just the second time three consecutive picks came from the same program, with the Mystics earning top grades for landing Betts and Dugalić to bolster their rebuild.[1][2]
Full First-Round Results
| Pick | Team | Player | Position | School/Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Wings | Azzi Fudd | SG | UConn |
| 2 | Minnesota Lynx (from CHI) | Olivia Miles | PG | TCU |
| 3 | Seattle Storm (from LA) | Awa Fam | C | Valencia (Spain) |
| 4 | Washington Mystics | Lauren Betts | C | UCLA |
| 5 | Chicago Sky (from CON) | Gabriela Jaquez | SG | UCLA |
| 6 | Toronto Tempo | Kiki Rice | UCLA | |
| 7 | Portland Fire | Iyana Martín | Perfumerias Avenida (Spain) | |
| 8 | Golden State Valkyries | Flau’jae Johnson | SG | LSU |
| 9 | Washington Mystics (from SEA) | Angela Dugalić | PF | UCLA |
| 10 | Indiana Fever | Raven Johnson | South Carolina | |
| 11 | Washington Mystics (from NY via MIN/CON) | Cotie McMahon | SF | Ole Miss |
| 12 | Connecticut Sun (from PHX via CHI) | Nell Angloma | Basket Lattes (France) | |
| 13 | Atlanta Dream | Madina Okot | C | South Carolina |
| 14 | Seattle Storm (from LV) | Taina Mair | PG | Duke |
| 15 | Connecticut Sun (from MIN via WAS) | Gianna Kneepkens | UCLA |
Trade Shocker: Flau’jae Johnson to Seattle
The night featured a stunning mid-draft trade when the Golden State Valkyries selected LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson at No. 8, only to immediately flip her to the Seattle Storm. Analysts called the move baffling for Golden State, which drew poor grades for its selections, while Seattle earned an ‘A’ for adding the dynamic guard alongside Awa Fam and Taina Mair.[1][2][8]
Team Grades and Standouts
ESPN handed the Washington Mystics an A+ for their hauls, including Betts, Dugalić, Cotie McMahon (No. 11), and others, positioning them for a strong rebuild.[2] The Seattle Storm also scored an ‘A’, while the Wings were praised for Fudd’s immediate fit as an off-ball shooter.[4]
Other notables include Charlisse Leger-Walker, the first New Zealander drafted, reuniting with Kneepkens in Connecticut,[1] and international flavor from Awa Fam (Spain/Senegal), Iyana Martín (Spain), and Madina Okot (Kenya).[9]
“Fudd may not have the upside Awa Fam has or Olivia Miles’s dazzle, but she is the best off-ball shooter in the draft and looks ready to thrive next to Bueckers and Ogunbowale.”[4]
As training camps open April 19, the 2026 class promises to inject fresh talent into a growing league, with UCLA’s dominance and Fudd’s star power leading the headlines.[1]
(Draft results compiled from official sources and live coverage.)