The 2026 WNBA Draft is less than two weeks away. After a long, arduous battle between the league and the players’ association over a new collective bargaining agreement, a deal has been ratified and installed. Over the next few weeks, WNBA teams will be scrambling to construct their rosters through an unprecedented free agency and the amateur draft on April 13th.
When that draft begins, the Dallas Wings will be on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick. For the second straight year, Dallas will draft in this
spot; this time, they’re seeking to pair a franchise co-star with 2025’s Rookie of the Year, Paige Bueckers. And if you’ve been following the Wings through the lead-up to this, you likely have some strong opinions on who Dallas should take.
Unlike 2024 and 2025, when Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers were the obvious, can’t-miss players at the top of their respective classes, 2026 lacks a consensus prospect. I’d argue there are at least four players who analysts and fans project in this spot: UCLA’s Lauren Betts, TCU’s Olivia Miles, Connecticut’s Azzi Fudd, and Valencia’s (Spain) Awa Fam.
And within the Wings space, that number has seemingly shrunk to two candidates: Fudd and Fam. Having been firmly entrenched within the ranks of Wings/WNBA fans, draft analysts, media members, and fellow bloggers, I can tell you that these are the two players leading the discourse. There is a lot of passion on either side of the debate, and I think it’s a fascinating case study into where the game is at and what people value.
From a pure basketball perspective, there are sound arguments to be made for both Azzi Fudd and Awa Fam. If you’re unfamiliar with either player, I wrote this primer back in November when the Wings won the draft lottery. Both players have grown since then, but the broad strokes remain the same— they are both very good at basketball. And the Dallas Wings, a team with 19 combined wins over the last two seasons, need everything. Whoever they take first overall is going to be a tremendous injection of talent.
That said, there are clear distinctions between Fudd and Fam as prospects that lead me to believe the choice for Dallas should be rather obvious. For starters, Fam is barely 19 years old, while Fudd is 23. Advocates for Fudd would say that her age and experience mean she’s more pro-ready and could help Dallas win games sooner than Fam. And they may be correct in that! There is little doubt among anyone who pays attention to women’s basketball that Azzi Fudd will enter the league as a day-one contributor. Her combination of elite off-ball shooting, basketball IQ, winning mentality/intangibles, polish, and competitiveness on defense gives her the safest floor in the draft class.
But at pick No. 1, are you drafting for floor? As good as Fudd is right now, this is likely who she will be at the next level: an incredible movement shooter with very limited creation upside. To be clear, that’s a valuable player in this league. It’s why Fudd is a no-doubt lottery pick. But when you watch Awa Fam play and look at what she’s done against her peers, it’s hard not to fall in love with the upside. Fam, a 6’5 big with switchability, passing chops, and shooting projection, is a rarity. Her combination of skills is unique for her position, and that position is the most crucial in the WNBA. Anyone who’s watched the Wings in the last two seasons can tell you how important it is to have talented bigs.
The divide between Fudd and Fam advocates is further illustrated by evaluation methods. People see the production from Fudd in college (points, three-pointers made, shooting percentages, steals, etc) and compare that with the lack thereof from Fam in Europe. Sure, Fam has had some blow-up games, but her overall production has been modest at best. Never mind the fact that Fam is playing in one of the top professional leagues in the world as a teenager; she’s only scoring seven points per game. And look, I understand this. At a certain point, you want your top prospects to translate their tools into production. You can’t win games with hypotheticals and wishcasting. It’s why supporters of Fam have been mockingly dubbed “Potential FC” by the internet crowd. That’s what a lot of the sell is for Fam.
But here’s the thing: drafts are always about potential. Yes, in the women’s game, players are more developed than on the men’s side because of the age requirements. Even so, teams are not taking these players with the assumption that there is little to no room for growth. Potential is always baked into evaluation. And with that said, I believe people are drastically wrong about how soon Awa Fam can help a WNBA team. This is not a raw prospect who’s two years away from being two years away.
Fam often comes off the bench for Valencia in favor of more seasoned pros. And in Europe, scoring is egalitarian by nature; Fam doesn’t get any plays run for her. The guard play on Valencia has left a lot to be desired, and their coach has been heavily criticized for failing to get the most out of a talented roster. Having watched many of Fam’s games this year, it’s not an ideal situation for a 19-year-old prospect to showcase what she can do. But that doesn’t mean we haven’t seen it. Hell, we just saw Fam play like one of the best players on the court against actual WNBA All-Stars in the World Cup qualifying tournament. She’s had big games against European teams with multiple W players. She helped lead Spain to the Eurobasket Finals in 2025, a run that included a 21-point masterclass against France in the semis. There’s plenty of recent tape that proves Fam can hang with the best of the best.
People also point to the potential fit with Paige Bueckers as a feather in Azzi Fudd’s cap. After all, Bueckers and Fudd won a title together at UConn, and their synergy in the backcourt would be undeniably effective. The space that Fudd would open for Bueckers as an on-ball creator would be invaluable. However, Fudd’s lack of playmaking ability could neutralize Bueckers’ game-breaking off-ball juice. To me, the ideal partner for Bueckers in the backcourt would be someone who can bring the best out of her with or without the ball (think Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in Dallas). It’s why I’d also be okay with Dallas taking Olivia Miles with their pick.
Compare that fit with Fam, who is a match made in heaven with Bueckers as a pick-and-roll partner. Fam’s best attributes on offense are her screen setting, playmaking, and court awareness. She clears space for ball handlers, makes herself available on the roll (or pop), and finds the open player when the defense collapses. And the passes she makes are often high-level, difficult reads. It’s stuff you can’t teach. Fam can also score effectively off the roll, leveraging her advanced footwork and post moves when she has an advantage. Blitzing Bueckers off a Fam screen would be effectively impossible.
Awa Fam is not a perfect player. She has many improvement areas as a prospect, and I understand why some are hesitant to commit to her as a No.1 pick. Fudd, meanwhile, is a pretty sure bet. It’s comforting to put your faith in someone who you know will not fail. And while Fudd is most enticing for that security, she’s also incredibly popular and marketable. That’s where the debate between these two players often veers into chaos.
I believe that most people who want Fudd to be a Wing have this opinion because they love her game. Having said that, I’ve seen many takes arguing Fudd’s marketability as a key factor in Dallas’ decision. They claim that the financial, fan service-y appeal of a Bueckers/Fudd pairing simply has to be taken into heavy consideration. And while I do live in the real world and understand that sports teams are businesses first, that feels insane. As a professional sports franchise, your first and only obligation should be fielding a team of the best possible players you can acquire. Of course, you want those players to be of high character and share your values, but as long as those thresholds are met, talent should supersede everything. Money and support come from winning. If the Wings believe Azzi Fudd is the best player in the draft, that’s fine. I would disagree, but that should be the only reason they select her first overall.
There is a lot of toxicity online between fans split on this decision. The discourse often becomes about things that have nothing to do with basketball, such as Bueckers and Fudd’s romantic relationship. On both sides, that should not be a factor. They are professionals who want to keep that part of their lives private. It shouldn’t enter into draft discussion at all.
I have also seen those who believe that folks on the other side of this debate have some sort of personal animosity against their favorite player. I can only speak for myself when I say that I only want the Dallas Wings to be a good basketball team. Whoever they draft, I hope they excel alongside Paige Bueckers and help lead the franchise to multiple titles. While I believe Awa Fam is more likely to be that person, I’ve been wrong before. Azzi Fudd is one of my favorite college players ever, and I love everything about her game and character. Watching her play for the Wings would undoubtedly be a pleasure.
It’s important to remember that all of this stuff is supposed to be fun. I’m reminding myself of this. Player stan wars and constant online bickering aren’t fun— they’re grating. It rots the brain. I’ve been guilty of engaging there, and I’m trying to channel my energy elsewhere. We live in an internet world where everyone is very passionate and loud with their opinions. It can be a good thing, as sports fandom is all about living and dying on this stuff. But none of this is that serious. When draft night rolls around, I look forward to finally seeing which direction Dallas goes in and welcoming our newest Wing with open arms. I hope everyone else in this community is prepared to do the same.
