After her name was announced, Fudd described the moment as almost unreal. “I’m not really sure I have words to describe that feeling, what that meant,” she said, adding that sitting with her family and hearing the call was a surreal experience that hasn’t fully sunk in.
The Wings reunite Fudd with former UConn teammate Paige Bueckers, who was Dallas’ No. 1 pick a year ago. Both players now join a select group of Huskies who have gone first overall, and Fudd praised Bueckers’ impact on the floor, calling her “an incredible player” who makes the game easier for teammates.
UCLA’s strong postseason run translated to draft day success as Lauren Betts and Gabriela Jaquez were chosen in the top five, and Kiki Rice went sixth to Toronto — the expansion team that secured that pick via a recent coin toss. The Bruins surpassed an old standard by sending more players into the first round than any school previously, and they added another selection in the second round when Charlisse Leger-Walker’s name was called.
The recently ratified collective bargaining agreement produced dramatic increases in rookie pay. As the top pick, Fudd’s rookie salary jumps substantially compared with last year’s No. 1, and the No. 2 and No. 3 selections also receive six-figure paydays in the mid-$400,000s. Players taken in the second and third rounds now earn about $270,000, which exceeds the previous maximum under the former agreement. No. 8 pick Flau’jae Johnson reflected on the moment as both an honor and a responsibility, saying she’s grateful and determined to leave the league better than she found it.
The rest of the opening round featured a mix of college standouts and international talent. Minnesota selected TCU’s Olivia Miles at No. 2 after she returned to school last season; Seattle picked Spain’s Awa Fam Thiam at No. 3; Washington grabbed Betts at No. 4; Chicago took Jaquez at No. 5; and Portland used its first-ever college draft pick on Spanish guard Iyana Martin Carrion. Other notable selections included Indiana taking Raven Johnson at 10, Washington drafting Cotie McMahon next, Connecticut choosing Nell Angloma at 12, Atlanta selecting Madina Okot, and Seattle adding Duke’s Taina Mair at 14. The first round concluded with Connecticut’s selection of Kneepkens.
International flavor
The draft included 11 players who developed outside U.S. colleges, three of whom were chosen in the first round: Fam Thiam, Martin Carrion and Angloma. Fam Thiam became the highest-drafted player from Spain in WNBA history, and several newcomers noted how the league is attracting growing global talent. League leadership has indicated plans to expand the WNBA’s international footprint with at least one game overseas in the coming year.
Mother-daughter combo
Fudd’s selection also continued a rare family legacy: she and her mother join the short list of mother-daughter pairs to be drafted into the WNBA. Fudd’s mother was drafted years ago though did not play in the league; previously, Pam McGee and her daughter Imani McGee-Stafford were the only other mother-daughter duo to share that distinction.
