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Michael Voepel
The Dallas Wings have the No. 1 pick again in the WNBA draft. And league history has shown us that having two consecutive top selections is usually a huge boost for a franchise.
Sunday’s draft lottery 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 pre-lottery mock draft, teenage post player Awa Fam from Spain was the projected No. 1 pick.
And she is still a strong candidate to join the Wings, whose new head coach, Jose Fernandez, always recruited extensively in Europe while he was at South Florida.
But after watching UConn guard Azzi Fudd’s shooting display at the Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase this past weekend, the No. 1 spot for now pivots to the Huskies senior.
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 take the Wings back to the playoffs for a sustained run.
Bueckers and Fudd have been open about being in a relationship, but that is not an unusual scenario in the league. They have proved to be very good teammates, leading the Huskies to a national championship in April.
The WNBA’s labor negotiations, of course, are on-going — the previously extended deadline is Nov. 30 — and after a new collective bargaining agreement, there will be the expansion drafts for new franchises Toronto and Portland, plus free agency.
That all must take place before April’s draft, when we will have much more information about every team’s makeup.
But for now, here is the newest mock draft, which again has four players from No. 3 UCLA as projected first-round picks.
UConn | shooting guard | 5-foot-11 | senior
In victories over Michigan on Friday and Utah on Sunday, Fudd scored a combined 55 points on 58.1% shooting. For the season, she is averaging 21.0 PPG on 51.1% shooting overall, 54.8% from behind the arc. Fudd has dealt with injuries in her career, but provided she stays healthy, she is an offensive standout who will be highly valued in the WNBA.
Spain | center | 6-foot-4
Fam’s agent told ESPN that competing in the WNBA is her “top priority” for 2026. She currently plays for Valencia in Spain and will turn 20 in June. Her potential seems very high. Because she is so young, she likely needs some time to fully develop. The Lynx could bring her along at a pace that allows her to blossom.
TCU | point guard | 5-foot-10 | senior
Miles, a transfer from Notre Dame playing her final collegiate season at TCU, has been just what the No. 10 Horned Frogs needed. She is averaging 17.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG and 7.6 APG and appears to be the top point guard pick among college seniors. Miles could be a backcourt standout for the Storm’s future.
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Olivia Miles with the 2 Pt
Olivia Miles with the 2 Pt, 11/23/2025
UCLA | center | 6-foot-7 | senior
Betts was the No. 1 pick in our first 2026 mock draft in October. A first-team All-American last season, she is off to a strong start as a senior and hasn’t done anything to drop on the draft board. But true centers in today’s WNBA might not fit as comfortably into offensive systems until they adjust to the style of play. Still, Betts has a lot of talent, and could join two star rookies last season, guard Sonia Citron and forward Kiki Iriafen, in the Mystics’ young core.
LSU | shooting guard | 5-foot-10 | senior
The guard-heavy Tigers will showcase Johnson’s ability to run the court this season. She is averaging 17.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 3.7 APG for No. 5 LSU. The Tigers’ soft nonconference schedule hasn’t challenged them, but Johnson already has proven herself in three years of SEC play.
South Carolina | shooting guard | 5-foot-8 | senior
The draft order of the expansion teams will be decided by coin flip; for now we have the Tempo here and the Portland Fire at No. 7. Latson led Division I in scoring at 25.2 PPG last season with Florida State. Now in a more balanced offense with No. 2 South Carolina, she is averaging 18.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 3.7 APG. Her 54.5% shooting from 3-point range is from too small a sample size (6 of 11) to judge it yet, but that would be a big step if she maintains it.
Ole Miss | small forward | 6-foot-0 | senior
After three years at Ohio State, where her 16.5 PPG was a career high last season, she is now with the No. 13 Rebels and averaging 17.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG. McMahon can help herself by showing defensive improvement, and Ole Miss is a good place to do that.
UCLA | shooting guard | 5-foot-11 | senior
Kneepkens’ greatest skill is stretching defenses with her 3-point shooting. She is currently at a career-low 34.5% from behind the arc, but her history (playing previously at Utah) suggests that will go up. She is averaging 14.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 3.4 APG.
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Southern Jaguars vs. UCLA Bruins: Game Highlights
Southern Jaguars vs. UCLA Bruins: Game Highlights
UConn | power forward | 6-foot-4 | senior
Williams went from being the star on 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. Her stats will drop, but her draft stock will rise with a program that regularly puts players into the WNBA. She is averaging 8.8 PPG and 4.0 for UConn.
South Carolina | center | 6-foot-6 | senior
Okot, who is from Kenya, transferred to spend her final season with the Gamecocks, and has fit in well. She leads South Carolina in rebounding (10.6 RPG) and blocks (2.0 BPG) while averaging 13.2 PPG. She is a more traditional center, but there is still a place for those players in the WNBA, especially if they defend well.
UCLA | shooting guard | 6-foot-0 | senior
Jaquez is off to a strong start for the Bruins, averaging a team-high 15.6 PPG plus 7.8 RPG (tied with Betts for the team lead) and 2.4 APG while shooting 47.4% from behind the arc. Jaquez became a full-time starter for UCLA last season and should help her draft stock if she continues her 3-point shooting improvement.
Spain | point guard | 5-foot-8
In April, she was named Young Player of the Year for her EuroLeague debut season with Perfumerias Avenida. Fam’s teammate on the Spanish national team, Martin Carrion also helped that squad advance to the EuroBasket championship game this summer. She turns 20 in January.
UCLA | point guard | 5-foot-11 | senior
As good as the Bruins were last season in reaching the Final Four, they could be better this season. Rice is averaging 13.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 3.4 APG. Some improvement in 3-point shooting — she’s currently at 30.8% — will help. Last season, she shot a career-best 36.5% from behind the arc.
Tennessee | power forward | 6-foot-4 | senior
Barker previously played for Texas A&M and UCLA, and now will finish her college career at No. 15 Tennessee. Her skill set at her size has long interested WNBA evaluators, but she will have to show consistency through this season. She is averaging 13.0 PPG and 4.9 RPG for the Lady Vols.
15. Connecticut Sun: Nell Angloma
France | small forward | 5-foot-11
Sun coach Rachid Meziane of France is, of course, familiar with Angloma, who plays for Basket Lattes Montpellier Agglomeration (BMLA). Angloma averaged 17.0 PPG and 5.5 RPG for France in the U19 Women’s World Cup this summer. She turns 20 in June.
