The first season of star Paige Bueckers in the WNBA was as brief as it was electrifying. Playoff dreams faded after a tough 80-81 loss that abruptly ended their run. However, Paige made it clear why she entered the league as one of the most anticipated prospects: double-digit stats all season and a 44-point explosion in the elimination game that confirmed her star status.
Even so, the reality was clear: Bueckers carried too much of the load without enough support. Dallas showed a fragile project, unable to match the level of its young star, and the feeling that she was playing alone was a recurring theme throughout the year.
The return of Azzi Fudd
Amid that bleak outlook, news emerged that could change the script: UConn confirmed that Azzi Fudd will play one more season in the NCAA, making her a candidate for the 2026 WNBA Draft. For Bueckers, it’s not just a potential reinforcement, but the chance to reunite with the player with whom she forged one of the most feared partnerships in college basketball.
The Bueckers-Fudd duo already shined at UConn and with the United States national team, showing chemistry, talent, and a connection that few pairs in women’s basketball possess.
Dallas Wings and hope in the 2026 Draft
According to journalist Grant Afseth, the Dallas Wings have a 40% chance of landing the first pick in the 2026 Draft. If that happens, fate could reunite Bueckers and Fudd on the same franchise, forming a backcourt with historic potential.
For a team in need of direction, it would be the perfect opportunity to reinvent itself with two young stars who already know how to win together.
A bright future for Dallas
The present for the Wings is marked by uncertainty, but the future could be entirely different. With Bueckers established as a leader and the possible arrival of Fudd, Dallas would have the ideal formula: talent, chemistry, and hunger for victory.
What was once an unstoppable alliance at UConn could become the cornerstone that takes Dallas to the top of the WNBA.
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