WNBA Draft 2026: Azzi Fudd Projected as First Pick in a Quality Top 5
UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) brings the ball up court during the fourth quarter of the game on Saturday February 14, 2026 at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
As the WNBA and the players’ union continue negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement, free agency sits in a holding pattern. The uncertainty makes it harder to project roster moves or fully evaluate team needs. Still, the college season is offering clarity elsewhere: the performances unfolding now are already shaping the early picture of the 2026 draft class — and pointing toward the next wave of potential league-changing talent.
Azzi Fudd Confirms Her Number One Status
Azzi Fudd maintains her position as the favorite for the first overall pick. The UConn senior guard could reunite with Paige Bueckers, the 2025 Rookie of the Year, wearing the Dallas Wings jersey. The Huskies have a perfect record of 26 wins without a loss this season, and Fudd contributes significantly with her averages of 17.5 points per game and a remarkable 45.5% success rate from 3-point range (76/167).
Fudd’s shooting gravity projects cleanly to the WNBA level. Her ability to stretch the floor forces defenses into uncomfortable decisions, and she pairs that with dependable effort on the other end. Add in her experience within UConn’s structured system and her positional versatility, and she profiles as a relatively safe, high-upside option for the Wings.
AZZI FUDD TONIGHT 🔥
• 34 POINTS
• 8/14 3PM
• 13/22 FG
• 31 MINUTES PLAYED— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) February 13, 2025
A Promising Top 5 with Varied Profiles
Behind Fudd, Awa Fam holds the second position for the Minnesota Lynx. This 6’4″ Spanish forward is only 19 years old and plays in Valencia with averages of 9.5 points and 4.7 rebounds. Despite her young age, her potential could appeal to Cheryl Reeve, the most experienced coach in the WNBA.
Olivia Miles rounds out the podium for Seattle Storm. The former Notre Dame standout, now finishing her senior season at TCU, is putting up 20.5 points, 6.6 assists and 6.8 rebounds per game — production that jumps off the page. Her 40-point explosion against Baylor, highlighted by 10 made threes, served as a loud confirmation of her WNBA upside.
OLIVIA MILES TONIGHT 🔥🔥
• 40 POINTS
• 6 REBOUNDS
• 10/20 3PM (!!!)
• 13/28 FG
• 38 MINUTES PLAYEDpic.twitter.com/Oagv7hW8Lb— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) February 13, 2026
Lauren Betts (UCLA, 6’7″) and Flau’jae Johnson (LSU) complete this promising top 5. Betts posts 16.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks for the undefeated Bruins in Big Ten play (14-0), while Johnson shines with her defensive efficiency and her 43.9% from 3-point range, a personal record.
March Madness could still shake up these projections, as history has often shown with players propelled by their NCAA tournament performances.
Comments (0)