Carmelo Anthony Recommends Wings Draft Azzi Fudd to Pair With Paige Bueckers

NBA legend believes the Dallas Wings should select Fudd with the No. 1 overall pick to team up with the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 2:08am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting the dynamic interplay of two basketball players in sharp, overlapping geometric shapes, conceptually representing the chemistry between Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd.A cubist visual interpretation of the potential backcourt partnership between WNBA stars Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd.Dallas Today

Former NBA star Carmelo Anthony has weighed in on who the Dallas Wings should select with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. Anthony believes the Wings should take UConn shooting guard Azzi Fudd to pair with reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, who was also Fudd's college teammate at UConn.

Why it matters

The Wings have a critical decision to make with the top pick, as they look to build around Bueckers and return to the WNBA playoffs. Anthony's recommendation carries weight as an NBA legend, and pairing Bueckers with her former UConn teammate Fudd could create a formidable duo in Dallas.

The details

On his '7PM in Brooklyn' podcast, Anthony said: 'Man, I would pair Azzi Fudd with Paige Bueckers. That seems like the move, right? I would do that because it's proven. It ain't like it was just a one-and-done situation and they came in and got busy. No — it's proven over multiple years.' Bueckers and Fudd were teammates at UConn from 2021 to 2025, winning a national championship in Bueckers' final year. Bueckers was a three-time Big East Player of the Year and AP Player of the Year, while Fudd was a two-time first-team All-Big East selection and first-team All-American.

  • Bueckers won WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2025.
  • Fudd averaged a career-high 17.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.5 steals this past season at UConn.

The players

Carmelo Anthony

A former NBA star who played for the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks, and now hosts the '7PM in Brooklyn' podcast.

Paige Bueckers

The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year, who was a three-time Big East Player of the Year and AP Player of the Year at UConn.

Azzi Fudd

A UConn shooting guard who was a two-time first-team All-Big East selection and first-team All-American, and Bueckers' college teammate.

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What they’re saying

“Man, I would pair Azzi Fudd with Paige Bueckers. That seems like the move, right? I would do that because it's proven. It ain't like it was just a one-and-done situation and they came in and got busy. No — it's proven over multiple years.”

— Carmelo Anthony, NBA Legend

What’s next

The Dallas Wings will make the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft on June 15, 2026.

The takeaway

Carmelo Anthony's recommendation to pair Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd in Dallas highlights the potential synergy between the two former UConn teammates. If the Wings follow Anthony's advice, they could build a formidable backcourt duo that has already proven their chemistry and success at the college level.