Azzi Fudd Sees 'Unknown' Potential in Paige Bueckers Pairing

The top WNBA draft pick is excited to finally play a full season alongside her UConn teammate.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 12:10am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, geometric painting depicting the dynamic basketball duo of Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers, with their figures fractured and overlapping in a vibrant, abstract composition.The Dallas Wings' new backcourt pairing of Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers represents a wealth of untapped potential waiting to be unlocked.Dallas Today

Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, is eager to reunite with her UConn teammate Paige Bueckers on the Dallas Wings. While the two have already proven they can succeed together, winning the 2025 national championship, Fudd noted that they haven't actually played that much together due to injuries. She believes there is still a lot of untapped potential in their on-court chemistry that they can unlock by staying healthy and playing a full season side-by-side.

Why it matters

Fudd and Bueckers are considered two of the brightest young stars in women's basketball, so their pairing on the Dallas Wings is a highly anticipated storyline heading into the 2026 WNBA season. Their ability to mesh and maximize each other's talents could be a key factor in the Wings' success.

The details

Despite playing four seasons together at UConn, Fudd and Bueckers only actually played in 49 games together due to various injuries. Fudd missed significant time in her first three college seasons with an ACL tear and a meniscus injury, while Bueckers sat out a full year after tearing her ACL. It wasn't until their final season at UConn, when they won the national championship, that they were able to play together for an extended stretch.

  • Fudd and Bueckers were teammates at the University of Connecticut from 2022 to 2026.
  • Fudd was selected No. 1 overall by the Dallas Wings in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
  • Bueckers was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, also by the Dallas Wings.

The players

Azzi Fudd

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, Fudd is considered one of the top young prospects in women's basketball after a standout college career at the University of Connecticut.

Paige Bueckers

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Bueckers is a former UConn star and one of the brightest young talents in the league.

Dallas Wings

The professional women's basketball team that selected both Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 overall pick in consecutive WNBA Drafts.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Paige is an incredible player; everybody knows that. She's someone that makes playing basketball easy. And so I think just the prior experience, knowing how to play with her and play off of her, will only help going into this.”

— Azzi Fudd

“Our time at UConn, it was just full of injury—full of whether I was playing, she wasn't, [or] she was playing, I wasn't—it wasn't until last year that we really got a chance to play together. And even then, it wasn't a full season.”

— Azzi Fudd

“I feel like there's still so much left on the table and so much unknown - just so much potential - with not just her but the entire Dallas Wings roster. I can't wait obviously to play with her again but to play with every single one of them.”

— Azzi Fudd

What’s next

The Dallas Wings will look to build chemistry between Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers during the 2026 WNBA preseason and regular season, hoping the duo can reach their full potential together on the court.

The takeaway

Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers have already proven they can succeed as a backcourt duo, but their injury-plagued college careers prevented them from fully realizing their on-court chemistry. Now reunited on the Dallas Wings, the two young stars have a chance to unlock that untapped potential and become one of the most formidable pairings in the WNBA.