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The Dallas Wings hold the first overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, the second year in a row that they’ve owned the top pick. In 2025, they made the obvious choice of taking Paige Bueckers, who is a transcendent talent. They now have to build a roster around her, and it starts with this pick in 2026.
However, there is no obvious choice like in years past. The three favorites seem to be Spain’s Awa Fam, UConn’s Azzi Fudd (who is dating Bueckers), and UCLA’s Lauren Betts. Fam and Betts are centers who could help clean up the Wings’ leaky defense, while Fudd offers elite perimeter shooting, which is something they desperately need to surround Bueckers with.
If the Wings are leaning one way or another with the pick as of now, new head coach Jose Fernandez isn’t letting it be known.
“There’s been some separation from some folks, so it’s going to be based on need,” Fernandez said. Then, when asked what he tells people when they ask him who the first pick will be, he simply responded, “They will find out in a couple of months.”
Who Fernandez thinks has separated themselves will be fascinating to find out at the WNBA Draft, which is currently scheduled for April 13th, but the lack of a new CBA in place could delay that. But since they’ve already announced the schedule for the preseason and regular season, they’d probably prefer to keep it at its current date.
READ MORE: Paige Bueckers’ Inefficiency Costs Breeze BC in Loss to Lunar Owls
There is still a lot of basketball to be played, but Fernandez said that “not much” will change in the next two months ahead of the draft. They are definitely already leaning in a direction, but they’re not going to give it away. So, who is going to be the best fit for the Wings?
Lauren Betts was the favorite heading into the season, but she hasn’t done enough to solidify her status. Her stats have even taken a small step back, but it’s mostly because she’s not playing as much since UCLA has blown out nearly everyone.
That likely brings the decision down to Awa Fam or Azzi Fudd. Many expect Fernandez to take the route of Fam because of his connections overseas, but that could change if Awak Kuier comes back to the Wings after spending a few seasons overseas, or if they add a center in free agency. And you can’t have enough shooting around a player like Bueckers, which is a role Fudd would fit.
READ MORE: Dallas Wings Star Paige Bueckers’ 2020 Class Has 1 Forgotten Star Still Playing CBB
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