It’s been back-to-back first overall picks from Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies. A year after Paige Bueckers’ selection as the first overall pick by the Dallas Wings, Azzi Fudd managed the exact same feat. She was also selected by the Wings and is set to reunite with her UConn teammate and girlfriend, Paige.
Fudd thus became the seventh player in program history to become the first overall pick of the WNBA Draft, and also the highest-paid rookie in program history with a half-million-dollar contract. The difference is massive when compared to previous first picks due to the new collective bargaining agreement the league agreed to last month.
Here are the WNBA contracts signed by previous UConn players.
- 2002 Sue Bird ($40k)
- 2004 Diana Taurasi ($42k)
- 2010 Tina Charles ($45k)
- 2011 Maya Moore ($46k)
- 2016 Breanna Stewart ($52k)
- 2025 Paige Bueckers ($78k)
- 2026 Azzi Fudd ($500k)
Paige Bueckers shares feelings on reuniting with Azzi Fudd at Dallas Wings
Ahead of the WNBA Draft, it was clear that the night could end with Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd reuniting at the Dallas Wings. The thought was on everyone’s minds, and reporters were quick to ask Bueckers about the possibility, for which she was clearly excited.
“That would be exciting,” Bueckers told Dallas Hoops’ Journal’s Grant Afseth when asked about the Wings potentially selecting Fudd. “Again, I don’t know all what I could say or what the future holds, but obviously we’ve had a lot of games together under our belt.”
“We won a national championship together, so I think there’s great success in that. I guess time will tell,” she added.
According to her, the partnership has already been tested at the collegiate level, and only success can follow from here on for the reunited couple. It would be interesting to see how the Wings decide to pair them in their lineup in the upcoming season. They might want to call Geno Auriemma and get some tips.
The top three of the draft were rounded up by Olivia Miles, picked by the Minnesota Lynx, and Awa Fam, picked by the Seattle Storm.
Also Read: 2026 WNBA Draft Projections for LSU Players Ft. Flau’jae Johnson
Read More: Chicago Sky and Flau’jae Johnson’s Fans Butt Heads On Drafting LSU Star After 7th 20-Point Game in 9 NCAA Outings
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