Azzi Fudd was the No. 1 WNBA draft pick, earning $500,000, but UCLA stole the show with a record six players drafted, including five in the first round. Rookie salaries surged under the new CBA, and the draft featured a strong international contingent and a rare mother-daughter draft pairing.
Azzi Fudd, a former UConn standout, was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft by Dallas, set to receive a $500,000 payday. Following her, UCLA made history by having a record six players drafted into the league, surpassing UConn's previous mark of four first-round picks. Five UCLA players went in the first round, including Lauren Betts and Gabriela Jaquez in the top five, and Kiki Rice at sixth to the expansion Toronto Tempo. Other Bruins drafted included Angela Dugalic, Giannna Kneepkens, and Charlisse Leger-Walker. The draft underscored the significant impact of the new collective bargaining agreement, which led to dramatic increases in rookie salaries; Fudd's earnings are nearly seven times what the previous top pick received. Second and third-round picks will now earn more than the old maximum salary. Other notable selections included Olivia Miles (No. 2 to Minnesota), Spain's Awa Fam Thiam (No. 3 to Seattle), and Portland's first-ever pick, Spanish guard Iyana Martin Carrion. The draft showcased a strong international flavor, with 11 non-U.S. college players chosen, three of whom were first-round selections. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert also announced plans for the league to play overseas in 2027. Additionally, Azzi Fudd and her mother, Katie Smrcka-Duffy Fudd, became only the second mother-daughter pair to be drafted into the WNBA.
