Wings Coach Hints At Azzi Fudd Interest Amid Paige Bueckers Chatter
Ever since the Dallas Wings secured the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 WNBA Draft, there has been a lot of chatter surrounding whether the team will use that pick on UConn Huskies superstar guard Azzi Fudd.
Not only is Fudd one of the most popular players in college basketball, but her relationship with her former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers (who was the Wings' No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft and went on to win the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year Award) has added a lot of intrigue around whether the Wings will reunite Fudd and Bueckers in the professional game.
Not only would this be a heartwarming storyline for fans of these two fans, but Fudd and Bueckers proved that they're a fantastic fit together during their time at UConn, which concluded with them winning the 2025 national championship.
Ultimately, the decision on whether to draft Fudd or someone else with that top pick might be up to new Wings head coach Jose Fernandez, who was hired earlier this year. While he won't be the one making the actual pick, his schemes and outlook for Dallas could be the main influence on whether the team chooses to pick Fudd.
Wings Coach Scouted ‘Prospective Draft Pick’ at UConn While Studying Paige Bueckers
Jose Fernandez was the guest on a December 19 episode of No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show, and hinted at a recent UConn scouting trip for Fudd.
When asked about separating the relationship that Auriemma has with Bueckers compared to what he's trying to build with her, Fernandez said, "I just ran into all of them in [Connecticut], which was very good to be able to do that. [Geno and I] went out to dinner the night before. One of my visits [was] to go see a young lady that everybody's talking about as a prospective draft pick. I was there for three days, watched them practice, watched them play Ohio State, and spent a lot of time with [Geno].
"Of course, we had conversations in regards to schemes, Paige with the ball inside pick and roll, in the slot, in the middle of the floor, when it comes off the glass, and she gets denied and someone else brings it up, and her off the ball," Fernandez continued. "It was great to get his perspective on things, because he cares deeply about her, and he cares deeply about her success in the future."
José talking about his connection w/ Geno & how much Geno cares about Paige’s success.
— j (@thearkvi) December 19, 2025
José talked about one of his visits to Connecticut “to go see a young lady that everyone is talking about 😌 a prospective draft pick.” He was there for 3 days watching practice & OSU game. pic.twitter.com/YXGzrQpVLY
Of course, the "prospective draft pick" he's referring to is Fudd. And the fact that he's speaking about her is enough to get fans feeling optimistic that the team will select her in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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