For the second year in a row, the Dallas Wings will have the top pick in the WNBA Draft, although there's not nearly as big a consensus as there was last season.
For the second season in a row, the Dallas Wings will have the first overall pick in the WNBA Draft. Last year, they picked UConn standout Paige Bueckers, who quickly emerged as one of the best players in the league.
However, her stellar individual play was not enough, and Dallas finished with only ten wins. Head coach Chris Koclanes was fired after just one season, and the Wings' rebuild will continue.
While Bueckers was the consensus top pick in 2025, the 2026 class doesn't have a clear leader. With plenty of solid options, the Wings are looking ahead to brighter days.
Dallas Wings Select Awa Fam in WNBA Mock Draft
Bueckers is clearly the franchise player on the Wings, and Arike Ogunbowale is an excellent running mate in the backcourt. The Wings don't lack talent in the backcourt, which causes them to pass on Azzi Fudd, according to one mock draft.
Fudd is a fifth-year player out of UConn, and enjoyed All-American honors this season while averaging 17.8 points and shooting a blistering 45.4 percent from 3-point range. Drafting a UConn guard in the WNBA is almost always a safe move, and one basketball legend has urged Dallas to play it safe.
"Azzi is the number one pick and, you know, the synergy that she has with Paige on the court, they play great together,” declared Diana Taurasi on NBC. "We’re talking about building championship DNA."
Of course, before her all-time pro career, Taurasi dominated for UConn, so she certainly wants to see the two Huskies share the court.
The Athletic's Sabreena Merchant sees things differently, projecting the Wings picking center Awa Fam from the Spanish league.
"The only knock against her is that she isn’t as seasoned as some of the college players in this draft, but she is already just as good at a younger age," reasoned Merchant.
In EuroBasket, Fam averaged 8.7 points and 4.2 rebounds, hardly numbers worthy of being picked first overall, but she is only 19 years old, four years younger than Fudd and most American-born players in the draft.
On Valencia Basket, Fam has posted 9.1 points and 4.6 rebounds. Plus, with Bueckers and Ogunbowale capable of scoring from all over the court, Fam would be tasked with cleaning up the glass and protecting the paint, so a limited offensive game to start (and a long runway to improve) should excite fans.
Drafting Fam first is certainly a risk. Azzi is a safer choice, although she doesn't exactly address a dire need for the Wings. Then again, the first overall pick isn't the best time to draft for fit!