Wings select UConn star Azzi Fudd No. 1 overall in WNBA draft

UConn guard Azzi Fudd took top individual honors at the WNBA draft, and UCLA dominated the group category.

Fudd became the seventh UConn player to be selected No. 1 overall in the draft when the Dallas Wings took her at the outset of Monday night's festivities in New York.

"There's no words to describe that feeling," Fudd said of hearing her name as the top pick. "It's surreal. I had goosebumps the whole time. I'm so grateful. It was a super special moment."

The UCLA players, fresh off a national championship, set draft records with five first-round picks and six total players selected.

Lauren Betts went No. 4 to the Washington Mystics, Gabriela Jaquez was No. 5 to the Chicago Sky, Kiki Rice went sixth to the expansion Toronto Tempo, Angela Dugalic was chosen No. 9 by the Mystics and Gianna Kneepkens was the last pick of the 15-player round by the Connecticut Sun.

Charlisse Leger-Walker went in the second round (No. 18 overall) to the Sun to give UCLA the overall record. Four schools had five players selected -- Tennessee in 1999 and 2008, Notre Dame in 2019 and South Carolina in 2023.

"This is so special," Rice said. "Every one of us here deserves it so much. I'm so proud of this group because it put in so much work over the past few years."

Meanwhile, the 5-foot-11 Fudd helped UConn win the 2025 national title and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. She earned first-team All-American honors this season when she led the nation with 117 3-pointers and averaged 17.3 points.

She will also be reunited with former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers, who went No. 1 to Dallas last year. Fudd and Bueckers are in a relationship and played together for four seasons with the Huskies.

"I'm excited to play again with Paige," Fudd said. "She's an incredible person and an incredible player. It's going to be a lot of fun."

The other UConn players to go No. 1 overall are Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2004), Tina Charles (2010), Maya Moore (2011) and Breanna Stewart (2016).

UCLA topped UConn's record of four first-round picks in 2002 draft when the Huskies had Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones and Tamika Williams chosen among the first six selections.

TCU point guard Olivia Miles went second to the Minnesota Lynx, and Spanish center Awa Fam Thiam went No. 3 to the Seattle Storm.

The 5-foot-10 Miles earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors and was a second-team All-American this season. She averaged 19.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.8 steals.

Miles played four seasons for Notre Dame before playing her final campaign for the Horned Frogs. She doesn't lack confidence.

"I think I have the highest IQ," said Miles, "and my feel for the game is unmatched."

Seattle went the potential route at No. 3 by selecting the 6-foot-4 Thiam, who turns 20 on June 17 and is a member of the Spanish national team.

"Being here in the ‘W' has been my dream since I was 12 years old," Thiam said. "I'm grateful. ... I know I'm younger, I will be 20 years old, I want to do my best and learn more."

UCLA stars Betts, Jaquez and Rice then went back-to-back-to-back at selections four through six.

The 6-foot-7 Betts led UCLA to the national championship and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. She was a first-team All-American each of the past two seasons.

Betts averaged 17.1 points and 8.8 rebounds this season and was Big Ten Player of the Year.

"I feel like I just play with joy," Betts said. "This season has been so special, I enjoyed every second. I had the most amazing experience and I think you can see the positivity that I played with."

Jaquez contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds in UCLA's wipeout of South Carolina in the title game. She has a reputation of being a do-it-all-player.

"Just going into every game, doing whatever the team needs," said Jaquez, the younger sister of the Miami Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr. "Every game will be different, but If I'm working hard and putting in all the effort, I'm happy to do that."

Rice averaged career highs of 14.9 points and 5.9 rebounds this season.

After Toronto's pick, the expansion Portland Fire tabbed Spanish guard Iyana Martin Carrion at No. 7.

LSU shooting guard Flau'jae Johnson went No. 8 overall to the Golden State Valkyries and was later traded to the Storm for second-round pick Marta Suarez of TCU and a 2028 second-round pick.

"When I was in high school, I wasn't ranked," Johnson said. "It took a lot of hard work, blood, sweat, tears and now I'm here at the draft. This is incredible to me."

Washington picked Dugalic at No. 9 and Ole Miss forward Cotie McMahon at No. 11. In between the two picks, the Indiana Fever picked South Carolina guard Raven Johnson at No. 10.

At No. 12, Connecticut chose France forward Nell Angloma, followed by the Atlanta Dream choosing South Carolina center Madina Okot. Seattle selected Duke guard Taina Mair at No. 14 before the selection of Kneepkens wrapped up the first round.

Leger-Walker is the first New Zealander selected in the WNBA draft.

2026 WNBA Draft Results:

Round 1 results

1. Dallas: Azzi Fudd, G, UConn

2. Minnesota: Olivia Miles, G, TCU

3. Seattle: Awa Fam, C, Spain

4. Washington: Lauren Betts, C, UCLA

5. Chicago: Gabriela Jaquez, G, UCLA

6. Toronto: Kiki Rice, G, UCLA

7. Portland: Iyana Martin Carrion, G, Spain

8. Golden State: Flau'jae Johnson, G, LSU (Traded to Seattle)

9. Washington: Angela Dugalic, F, UCLA

10. Indiana: Raven Johnson, G, South Carolina

11. Washington: Cotie McMahon, F, Ole Miss

12. Connecticut: Nell Angloma, F, France

13. Atlanta: Madina Okot, C, South Carolina

14. Seattle: Taina Mair, G, Duke

15. Connecticut: Gianna Kneepkens, G, UCLA

Round 2 results

16. Seattle: Marta Suarez, F, TCU (Traded to Golden State)

17. Portland: Frieda Buhner, F, Germany

18. Connecticut: Charlisse Leger-Walker, G, UCLA

19. Washington: Cassandre Prosper, G, Notre Dame

20. Los Angeles: Ta'Niya Latson, G, South Carolina

21. Chicago: Latasha Lattimore, F, Ole Miss

22. Toronto: Teonni Key, F, Kentucky

23. Golden State: Ashlon Jackson, G, Duke

24. Los Angeles: Chance Gray, G, Ohio State

25. Indiana: Justine Pissott, G, Vanderbilt

26. Toronto: Saffron Shiels, F, Australia

27. Phoenix: Ines Pitarch-Granel, G, France

28. Atlanta: Indya Nivar, G, North Carolina

29. Las Vegas: Janiah Barker, F, Tennessee

30. Washington: Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, F, Baylor

Round 3 results

31. Dallas: Zee Spearman, F, Tennessee

32. Chicago: Tonie Morgan, G, Kentucky

33. Connecticut: Serah Williams, C, UConn

34. Washington: Rori Harmon, G, Texas

35. Los Angeles: Amelia Hassett, F, Kentucky

36. Toronto: Charlise Dunn, F, Davidson

37. Portland: Taylor Bigby, G, TCU

38. Golden State: Kokoro Tanaka, G, Japan

39. Seattle: Grace VanSlooten, F, Michigan State

40. Indiana: Jessica Timmons, G, Alabama

41. New York: Manuela Puoch, F, Australia

42. Phoenix: Eszter Ratkai, G, Hungary

43. Atlanta: Kejia Ran, G, China

44. Las Vegas: Jordan Obi, F, Kentucky

45. Minnesota: Lani White, G, Utah

--Field Level Media/Reuters