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Dallas Wings coach Jose Fernandez details trip to see Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd

The Dallas Wings could select Azzi Fudd with the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft.

Jeremy Brener

UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd gestures during the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes.
UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd gestures during the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes. / Pamela Smith-Imagn Images

Dallas Wings head coach Jose Fernandez is very familiar with the UConn Huskies program and its impact on the team that he's currently coaching.

The Wings are built by Paige Bueckers, last year's number one overall pick out of UConn, and the team could pair her with another Huskies alumnus in Azzi Fudd. Fernandez recently took a trip up to Storrs to visit with Bueckers, Fudd and head coach Geno Auriemma and spoke about it on the "No Offseason" podcast.

“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,” Fernandez said on the podcast h/t Dallas Hoops Journal reporter Grant Afseth.

“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].”

READ MORE: Dallas Wings coach Jose Fernandez explains why now was the time to jump to WNBA

Fernandez, Auriemma share Bueckers tactics

There isn't a coach in basketball that knows Bueckers better than Auriemma, so having his insight could help Fernandez in his job with the Wings.

“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 said h/t Afseth. “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.”

Fernandez likely also spoke with Auriemma about Fudd and the type of fit that she can bring to an offense that's led by Bueckers. The pair of them won a national championship last season at Connecticut, so the Wings hope to have that level of success in Dallas in the years to come.

The WNBA draft is scheduled for April 2026.

READ MORE: How Wings star Paige Bueckers had one of the most iconic moments in women's sports

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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