The Dallas Wings once again have the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft. And league history has shown us that having two consecutive top picks is usually a huge boost for a franchise.
Sunday’s draft had no surprises as the top five — the Wings, Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky — matched their lottery odds.
In Friday’s mock draft, Spanish teenager Awa Fam was the projected No. 1 pick. And she’s still a strong candidate to join the Wings, whose new head coach, Jose Fernandez, recruited extensively in Europe while in South Florida.
But after watching UConn guard Azzi Fudd’s shooting display at the Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase last weekend, first place now goes to the senior Huskies.
Last year’s top draft pick, 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers and Fudd are elite backcourt players who complement each other and could be building blocks to lead the Wings back into the playoffs for a sustained run.
Bueckers and Fudd have openly talked about a relationship, but it’s not an unusual scenario around the league. They proved to be great teammates, leading the Huskies to a national championship in April.
WNBA collective bargaining is, of course, underway – the previously extended deadline is November 30 – and after a new collective bargaining agreement there will be expansion plans for new franchises in Toronto and Portland, Oregon, as well as free agency.
All of this needs to take place before April’s draft, when we will have much more information on each team’s makeup.
But for now, here’s the latest mock draft, which once again has four players from No. 3 UCLA as projected first-round picks.
UConn | shooting guard | 5 feet 11 inches | senior
In wins over Michigan on Friday and Utah on Sunday, Fudd scored a total of 55 points on 58.1 percent shooting. For the season, she is averaging 21.0 points per game on 51.1% shooting overall and 54.8% from behind the arc. Fudd has dealt with injuries during her career, but provided she stays healthy, she is an offensive star who will be highly regarded in the WNBA.
Spain | center | 6 feet 4 inches
Fam’s agent told ESPN that competing in the WNBA is her “top priority” for 2026. She currently plays for Valencia in Spain and turns 20 in June. His potential seems very high. Because she is so young, she probably needs time to fully develop. The Lynx could take him at a pace that would allow him to flourish.
TCU | leader | 5 feet 10 inches | senior
Miles, a transfer from Notre Dame playing his final collegiate season at TCU, was exactly what the No. 10 Horned Frogs needed. She is averaging 18.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG and 7.5 APG and appears to be the top point guard pick among college seniors. Miles could be a major asset for the Storm’s future.
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Olivia Miles with 2 Pt
Olivia Miles with 2 Pt, 11/23/2025
UCLA | center | 6 feet 7 inches | senior
Betts was the No. 1 pick in our first 2026 mock draft in October. A first-team All-American last season, she got off to a good start (15.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.2 BPG) as a senior and failed to make the cut in the draft. But true centers in today’s WNBA might not fit as comfortably into offensive systems until they adapt to the style of play. Still, Betts has plenty of talent, and she could join two star rookies from last season — guard Sonia Citron and forward Kiki Iriafen — in the Mystics’ young core.
LSU | shooting guard | 5 feet 10 inches | senior
The Tigers, blessed with a big guard, will showcase Johnson’s ability to run the court this season. She averages 17.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 3.7 APG for No. 5 LSU. The Tigers’ soft non-conference schedule hasn’t challenged them, but Johnson has already proven himself in three years of SEC play.
South Carolina | shooting guard | 5 feet 8 inches | senior
The provisional order of expansion teams will be decided by drawing lots; for now we have the Tempo here and the Portland Fire at No. 7. Latson led Division I with 25.2 PPG last season with Florida State. Now in a more balanced offense with No. 2 South Carolina, she’s averaging 18.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 3.7 APG. Her 54.5% 3-point shooting rate comes from too small a sample (6 of 11) to judge yet, but it would be a big step forward if she maintains it.
Ole Miss | small before | 6ft 0 | senior
After three years at Ohio State, where her 16.5 PPG was a career-high last season, she is now on the No. 13 Rebels averaging 17.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG. McMahon can help himself by showing defensive improvement, and Ole Miss is a good place to do that.
UCLA | shooting guard | 5 feet 11 inches | senior
Kneepkens’ greatest skill is stretching defenses with his 3-point shot. She’s currently at a career-low 36.7 percent from behind the arc, but her history (previously playing at Utah) suggests that will increase. She averages 12.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG and 3.7 APG.
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Southern Jaguars vs. UCLA Bruins: Game Highlights
Southern Jaguars vs. UCLA Bruins: Game Highlights
UConn | forward power | 6 feet 4 inches | senior
Williams went from being the star of a 13-17 team (19.2 PPG and 9.8 RPG for Wisconsin last season) to finishing her career with the talent-rich No. 1 Huskies. His stats will drop, but his draft stock will rise thanks to a program that regularly places players in the WNBA. She averaged 7.2 PPG and 4.3 RPG for UConn.
South Carolina | center | 6 feet 6 inches | senior
Okot, originally from Kenya, transferred to spend her final season with the Gamecocks and has settled in well. She leads South Carolina in rebounds (10.8 RPG) and blocks (2.2 BPG) while averaging 13.3 PPG. Like Betts, she is a more traditional center, but there is always a place for these players in the WNBA, especially if they defend well.
UCLA | shooting guard | 6ft 0 | senior
Jaquez has been solid for the Bruins, averaging 14.0 PPG, a team-high 7.8 RPG and 2.8 APG while shooting 39.1% from behind the arc. Jaquez became a full-time starter for UCLA last season and should help her draft pick if she continues her improvement in 3-point shooting.
Spain | leader | 5 feet 8 inches
In April, she was named Young Player of the Year for her first EuroLeague season with Perfumerias Avenida. Fam’s teammate on the Spanish national team, Martin Carrion also helped that team qualify for the EuroBasket championship game this summer. She will be 20 in January.
UCLA | leader | 5 feet 11 inches | senior
As good as the Bruins were last season in reaching the Final Four, they could be better this season. Rice averages 14.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 3.7 APG. Some improvement in 3-point shooting – it’s currently at 30.8% – will help. Last season, she shot a career-best 31.3 percent from behind the arc.
Tennessee | forward power | 6 feet 4 inches | senior
Barker previously played for Texas A&M and UCLA, and will now finish his college career at No. 15 Tennessee. Her skill set given her size has long been of interest to WNBA evaluators, but she will need to be consistent throughout this season. She is averaging 15.2 PPG and 6.5 RPG for the Lady Vols.
15. Connecticut Sun: Nell Angloma
France | small before | 5 feet 11 inches
The Soleil’s coach, Frenchman Rachid Meziane, of course knows Angloma, who plays at Basket Lattes Montpellier Agglomération (BMLA). Angloma averaged 17.0 PPG and 5.5 RPG for France during the U19 Women’s World Cup this summer. She will be 20 in June.
